Departmental Expenditure

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the running costs were of his Department's offices in (a) Pretoria, (b) Brasilia, (c) Bangkok, (d) Montserrat, (e) Paris and (f) Rome in 2004–05.

Gareth Thomas: The running costs of DFID's offices in Pretoria, Brasilia, Bangkok, Montserrat, Paris and Rome in 2004–05 were as follows:
	
		
			  £000 
			 Office Expenditure 2004–05 
		
		
			 Pretoria (DFID Southern Africa) 3,725 
			 Brasilia (DFID Brazil) 884 
			 Bangkok (DFID South East Asia) 2,066 
			 Montserrat (Overseas Territories Department) 1,518 
			 Paris (UK Permanent Delegation to UNESCO) 455 
			 Rome (UK Permanent Representation to UN Agencies Rome) 587 
		
	
	Running costs include (but are not limited to) staff pay and other personnel overheads, office accommodation rental and maintenance, staff training, post, telecommunications and travel costs. DFID's office in Pretoria is the base for DFID Southern Africa and its budget includes running costs for Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, South Africa and Swaziland. DFID's office in Bangkok is the base for DFID South East Asia which covers Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, East Timor and Burma, as well as Thailand. However, in this case expenditure only includes running costs for the Bangkok office.

Latin America

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what process microfinance organisations must complete in order to be eligible for support from his Department.

Hilary Benn: DFID provides support to financial sector development, primarily through its country-based aid programmes.
	DFID works in partnership with Governments, civil society and with the private sector to implement countries' growth and poverty reduction strategies. DFID agrees Country Assistance Plans (CAPs) that set out in detail country-level programmes, based on our partners' priorities.
	Microfinance is widely recognised as useful in contributing to reducing poverty and reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MGDs). Where support is being given to microfinance organisations, DFID may set up "umbrella programmes" for the financial sector, usually in partnership with other donors and international financial institutions. DFID has supported such microfinance and financial sector programmes in 25 countries.
	Microfinance organisations can access DFID support if their request for funding meets the requirements of these programmes.
	At a central or regional level, DFID is supporting programmes such as, the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), a consortium of 33 public and private development agencies working together to expand access to financial services, including microfinance services. Another example is MicroSave, which promotes the development of savings and other more client-responsive financial services among microfinance institutions.
	For further details, microfinance organisations should approach the local DFID office. Contact details are on DFID internet site on www.dfid.gov.uk

Malawi

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total amount of UK aid to Malawi was in each of the last 10 years in real terms.

Hilary Benn: The following table includes details of the total amount of UK aid to Malawi in real terms:
	
		UK aid to Malawi Real prices as at 2004: £ million
		
			  Estimate of UK share of: 
			  Bilateral aid Multilateral aid Of which: EC Total 
		
		
			 1994 46.97 12.4 5.0 59.4 
			 1995 37.8 14.0 9.6 51.8 
			 1996 64.7 15.5 5.5 80.2 
			 1997 20.4 10.6 3.2 31.0 
			 1998 39.2 18.4 7.8 57.5 
			 1999 53.6 8.8 8.1 62.4 
			 2000 70.9 14.0 8.0 85.0 
			 2001 49.9 19.7 8.3 69.6 
			 2002 35.1 6.1 4.4 41.2 
			 2003 69.5 14.9 5.6 84.4 
			 2004 65.2 n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	Note:
	2003 is latest year available for imputed multilateral shares.
	Source:
	OECD DAC online database and SRSG Imputed Multilateral Shares. Date: 13 March 2006.

Malawi

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the date was of the last official visit by him or his predecessor to Malawi.

Hilary Benn: I last visited Malawi as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in October 2001. My hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, made an official visit to Malawi in October 2005, accompanied by the my hon. Friend, the Minster of State for Health Services. They examined progress with the implementation of HIV and AIDS programmes, the Essential Health Package and the associated Emergency Human Resources Programmes to which DFID has committed £100 million.

Sudan

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in (a) Darfur and (b) Southern Sudan.

Hilary Benn: The information is as follows:
	Darfur
	Across the whole of Darfur, there are 1.8 million internally displaced people and 3.4 million dependent on humanitarian assistance. The priority is to provide assistance and protection for them, and to find a political solution that will allow people to return home and rebuild their lives.
	Although the massive humanitarian response in Darfur has had a positive impact on malnutrition and mortality rates, the region remains highly dependant on food aid. This year there is expected to be above average food production, but the ability of Darfur is to bring in the harvest depends on security which remains extremely fragile in many areas. Even with a good harvest, an estimated three million people in Darfur will still require food aid.
	Instability, fighting and banditry in South and West Darfur, particularly along the border zone with Chad, is severely hampering humanitarian agencies operating in those areas. Violence and attacks on humanitarian agencies' staff and assets has lead to a reduction in presence, and total withdrawals in some areas, by both the UN and NGOs, leaving many vulnerable people with a greatly reduced level of assistance. Until a political settlement is reached to end the fighting and re-impose the rule of law, the civilian population of Darfur will continue to bear the heaviest burden.
	The UK is the second largest bilateral humanitarian donor in Darfur (after the US), providing over £96 million since September 2003. These funds have meant that hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people have been provided with shelter, food, water and basic health care. The UK is also actively supporting the peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria, in the search for a sustainable political settlement.
	South Sudan
	The humanitarian situation remains fragile. Pockets of instability, noticeably in the Upper Nile, Eastern and Western Equatoria have resulted in continued internal displacement. A recent cholera outbreak in and around Yei and Juba underlines the threat of disease and the imminent rainy season will only serve to increase the difficulties faced by vulnerable people, and the humanitarian agencies ability to assist them.
	While this year's harvest is predicted to be good, there will continue to be areas of high vulnerability due to insecurity and poor market access. Malnutrition levels in many areas are commensurate with, and in some cases worse than, those found in Darfur.
	To date, the large number of returns of refugees and internally displaced people predicted by the UN has still not taken place. Although there is still potential for significant movement in the run-up to the rainy season, this is considered unlikely. To support the returns process, the UK is providing early and significant contributions to the UN 2006 Work plan, from which the UN humanitarian co-ordinator has already allocated over $40 million to the South.
	In addition to funding vital non-governmental organisations (NGOs) humanitarian programmes in the South, the UK is providing financial support to an emergency response fund for the South to deal with emergencies, such as the cholera outbreak. For longer term recovery and development, the UK is establishing the £10 million service delivery fund which will act as a bridge to the Multi-Donor Trust Fund while it develops projects for funding to meet longer term development needs.

Sudan

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the recent outbreak of cholera in Sudan; and what steps his Department is taking to prevent the disease spreading.

Hilary Benn: DFID have been closely monitoring the cholera outbreak in Southern Sudan since it began late January. The outbreak started in Yei town in Southern Sudan and subsequently spread to Juba and a dozen other towns further East and North. To date (12 March) 212 people have died from the disease from a case load of 6,744. The recent outbreak and its subsequent rapid spread to neighbouring towns underlines the threat of disease while the imminent onset of the rainy season will serve to increase the difficulties faced by vulnerable people.
	DFID has been active in supporting the co-ordination of response efforts in the South and in monitoring the situation. The emergency preparedness and response unit managed by the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) together with the World Food Organisation (WHO) have been at the forefront of co-ordinating the response to the outbreak. DFID has been working closely with OCHA providing technical advice, support and funding.
	Through the Emergency Response Fund (ERF) of UNOCHA, DFID has provided over $350,000 to eight UN agencies and non-governmental organisations assisting with the response to the cholera outbreak. An additional $750,000 of DFID funds remains with the ERF for continued assistance to agencies if the disease spreads further.
	In addition to support such chronic and rapid onset emergencies, the UK is providing early and significant contributions to the UN 2006 Work plan, from which the UN humanitarian co-ordinator has already allocated over $40 million to the South including an allocation of US $500,000 to the Emergency Response Fund. The UN humanitarian co-ordinator additionally holds an emergency reserve of $10 million (to which DFID was a significant contributor) which could be accessed to scale up the response to the outbreak should the need arise.

Benefits

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the merits of conducting an employability and capability assessment immediately an initial claim for employment and support allowance is made.

Margaret Hodge: In the Green Paper; "A new deal for welfare: empowering people to work"; we have proposed that the assessment phase should last three months. During this time we will assess both a claimant's eligibility for benefit and capability for work. Assessing an individual at a relatively early stage of their claim allows us to intervene early to maximise their chances of returning to work. However, many people will be on employment and support allowance for very short periods of time and so carrying out assessments too early in a claim could lead to nugatory assessments taking place.

Fuel Costs (Pensioners)

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to reduce the effect on pensioners of increases in the cost of gas and electricity.

Stephen Timms: The Department for Work and Pensions already assists pensioners meet the costs of gas and electricity bills through the winter fuel payment.
	The winter fuel payment is a significant contribution towards fuel costs. The payment has risen above the level of inflation, from £20 in winter 1997–98 to £200 from winter 2000–01 and to £300 for those aged 80 or over from winter 2003–04.
	New processes have also been developed between The Pension Service and the "Home Heat Helpline", a private sector run and funded fuel poverty helpline launched in October 2005, which help to maximise the take-up of benefits, help from the utilities companies and warm front grants.

Legal Services Commission

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's work of the decision by the Legal Services Commission to withdraw funding for specialised support and advice in relevant areas.

James Plaskitt: Specialist support services are part of the Legal Services Commission's (LSC) special projects budget that was reviewed in the summer 2005. The LSC concluded that as specialist support services provide advice in civil categories of law to other legal advisers and not directly to clients, this did not represent the most cost-effective approach to meet the increasing need for front-line advice. The LSC has therefore decided not to continue funding for specialist support from July 2006.
	The LSC's decision to withdraw funding for specialist support services will refocus resources within the existing civil legal aid budget in England and Wales. It is not intended to increase or decrease costs overall. It will mean that £2.3 million will be redirected to fund direct legal advice in the next financial year, thereby increasing access to legal services for vulnerable people.
	The LSC invited all the practitioners and specialist advice services funded under the current system to discuss how they can advise clients and consumers directly, rather than through a second-tier system.
	The Department for Work and Pensions is working with the LSC and the Department for Trade and Industry, as part of a national agenda to tackle rising levels of debt, to pilot a number of innovative new advice services to help people facing financial exclusion, following a £6 million grant from the Treasury's Financial Inclusion Fund.
	In terms of advice on benefits and pensions matters, there is already wide expertise and knowledge within the advice sector, and the Department for Work and Pensions, which already has excellent relationships with key national advice providers, will continue to provide for advisors comprehensive information about its legislation and procedures.

National Insurance

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many women who paid a full stamp and additional class 3 voluntary contributions for a period when they were unable to work are now receiving a full pension as a result.

Stephen Timms: The information is not available. Class 3 contributions have only been recorded separately since 1975 and since then it has only been possible to readily distinguish full tax years in which only Class 3 contributions have been paid. However, around 17 per cent. of female pensioners receive a full basic state pension based on their own national insurance record of contributions paid while working, voluntary contributions and credits.

New Deal

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Government have commissioned research since 1998 into the effect of the new deal on job search activity among 18 to 24-year-olds.

Margaret Hodge: The new deal for young people has been successful in helping nearly 650,000 young people into work and has helped to virtually eradicate long-term youth unemployment. A number of independent research reports on new deal for young people, commissioned by this Department, have looked at the impact of the programme on the job search activity of programme participants.
	A report by Social and Community Planning Research 1 found that participants on new deal for young people greatly appreciated the support they received from their new deal personal advisers, which included: help with looking for vacancies; assistance with contacting employers; referral to other appropriate agencies and discussions about long-term career plans.
	The new deal for young people national survey 2 3 which reports on interviews with over 6,000 programme participants, includes a considerable amount of information on the job search activity of people who have taken part in the programme. A high proportion of respondents reported discussing methods of job search and their responsibilities as jobseekers with their new deal personal adviser.
	Research from the National Institute for Economic and Social Research 4 published in 2000, reported positively about the impact of new deal for young people. Increased youth employment was in part attributed to a programme that provided job search assistance and support, together with intensive full time new deal options including the full time education and training option and the employment option.
	The reports referred to are listed as follows and are available in the Library.
	1 "New Deal for Young Unemployed People: The Gateway", SCPR, Employment Service Report 8, December 1998.
	2 "New Deal for Young People: National Survey of Participants: Stage 1", Alex Bryson et al, Employment Service Report 44, March 2000.
	3 "New Deal for Young People: National Survey of Participants: Stage 2", Dorothe Bonjour et al, Employment Service Report 67, March 2001.
	4 "New Deal for Young People: Implications for Employment and the Public Finances", Rebecca Riley and Garry Young, Employment Service Report 62, 2000.

Pension Credit

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Oxford East constituency receive pension credit; and how many have received it in each year since its inception.

Stephen Timms: The number of people in receipt of pension credit in the parliamentary constituency of Oxford East November 2003-August 2005 is as follows:
	
		Thousand
		
			  Households Individual beneficiaries 
		
		
			 November 2003 3.0 3.5 
			 August 2004 3.6 4.2 
			 August 2005 3.7 4.3 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Caseloads are rounded to the nearest hundred and expressed in thousands.
	2. Pension credit (PC) replaced minimum income guarantee (MIG) on 6 October 2003.Existing MIG recipients were automatically converted onto pension credit on that date (assuming they still met the eligibility criteria).
	3. Parliamentary constituency are assigned by matching postcodes against the ONS postcode directory.
	4. Beneficiaries figures include those who are aged 60 or under.
	5. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either on behalf of themselves only or on behalf of a household. This number is equal to the number of households in receipt of pension credit. The number of individual beneficiaries is the claimants plus their partners.
	Source:
	Information Directorate: 100 per cent. Work and Pension Longitudinal Study (WPLS). From 27 October 2005 the preferred data source for pension credit time series figures supplied by the Information Directorate is the Work and Pension Longitudinal Study (WPLS).

Ballyrobert Primary School

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Department of Education will announce a new school build for Ballyrobert primary school.

Angela Smith: An economic appraisal for this school was submitted to the Department of Education by the North-Eastern Education and Library Board in December 2005 and is currently under consideration. Icannot say at this time when the scheme may be in a position to proceed.

Bathing Water Quality

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of the quality of bathing water at each of Northern Ireland's designated beaches.

Angela Smith: The Environment and Heritage Service, an agency within the Department of Environment, is responsible for monitoring bathing waters in Northern Ireland to ensure compliance with the mandatory standards of the EC Bathing Waters Directive.
	In 2005, 15 of the 16 identified bathing waters in Northern Ireland met the mandatory standards of the EC Bathing Water compared to 14 in 2004. Newcastle was the only identified bathing water not to meet the mandatory standard in 2005.
	An additional 11 sites are monitored and in 2005, 100per cent. compliance was achieved compared to 73per cent. in 2004.
	The Bathing Water Directive also contains a more stringent guideline standard. 11 of the 16 identified sites met the tighter standards in 2005 compared to nine sites in 2004. In both 2004 and 2005, seven of the additional sites complied with the guideline standard.
	The two main factors contributing to non compliance are considered to be inadequate sewerage infrastructure and sewage treatment and increased agricultural runoff during periods of heavy rainfall.

Drug-related Crime

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many successful prosecutions there have been for drug trafficking in each (a) county and (b) constituency in Northern Ireland in each of the last 30 years.

David Hanson: Data covering the calendar years 1993–2003 has been provided. Data beyond 2003 is currently not available and data prior to 1993 is not compatible with new software.
	Due to a lack of reliable post coded prosecution and conviction data, statistics by county and constituency are not readily available, therefore, alternative geographical breakdowns have been used.
	In place of county, the seven court divisions (based on where a case was heard) have been provided, figures for which are included in Table 1.
	For constituency, the figures provided are based on the 12 police divisions for the years 1993–1999 and police district command units for 2000–2003 (Tables 2 and 3). Due to a change in the prosecutions data source in 2000, Tables 2 and 3 differ in terms of the method of collation used—in Table 2 figures relate to the police division to which an offence was reported, while figures within Table 3 relate to the police district command unit in which an offender's address falls.
	
		Table 1: Convictions for drug-trafficking by court division 1993–2003(93)
		
			  1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Antrim 41 39 52 66 58 38 34 52 35 19 30 
			 Ards 13 8 16 16 14 16 4 14 14 7 19 
			 Armagh and South Down 17 8 12 19 8 4 10 5 8 9 9 
			 Belfast 31 34 70 102 80 59 54 82 54 23 20 
			 Craigavon 2 10 14 9 13 14 10 17 12 17 11 
			 Fermanagh and Tyrone 0 5 9 25 18 17 13 13 7 15 14 
			 Londonderry 6 12 19 27 16 23 17 15 22 22 16 
			 Total 110 116 192 264 207 171 142 198 152 112 119 
		
	
	(93)Figures based on the court division in which an offence was tried.
	
		Table 2: Convictions for drug-trafficking by police division 1993–99(94)
		
			  1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 
		
		
			 A (Musgrave Street) 23 11 29 41 26 14 14 
			 B (Grosvenor Road) 3 6 14 11 20 16 18 
			 D (Antrim Road) 26 25 42 67 48 44 29 
			 E (Strandtown) 10 10 22 15 12 9 5 
			 G (Newtownards) 5 2 4 5 8 10 2 
			 H (Armagh) 2 3 12 18 8 3 2 
			 J (Portadown) 15 10 6 5 9 7 16 
			 K (Dungannon) 0 3 3 8 7 5 3 
			 L (Enniskillen) 0 2 3 16 11 11 9 
			 N (Strand Road) 6 9 15 15 11 21 10 
			 O (Coleraine) 4 13 30 35 23 15 19 
			 P (Ballymena) 16 22 12 28 24 16 15 
			 Total 110 116 192 264 207 171 142 
		
	
	(94)Figures based on the police division to which the offence was reported.
	Note:
	Divisional Headquarters are included within brackets.
	
		Table 3: Convictions for drug-trafficking by district command unit 2000–03
		
			 District command unit 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Antrim 8 6 3 4 
			 Ards 7 2 4 5 
			 Armagh 1 2 4 5 
			 Banbridge 1 1 1 1 
			 Belfast East 9 11 3 2 
			 Belfast North 32 10 16 13 
			 Belfast South 8 12 5 2 
			 Belfast West 17 6 2 4 
			 Ballymena 22 12 6 11 
			 Ballymoney 1 1 2 0 
			 Carrickfergus 5 2 0 0 
			 Coleraine 8 5 4 7 
			 Cookstown 1 5 5 2 
			 Craigavon 9 4 5 9 
			 Castlereagh 2 2 3 0 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 6 1 2 10 
			 Down 3 5 0 3 
			 Fermanagh 4 2 0 2 
			 Foyle 6 13 8 7 
			 Larne 2 4 3 3 
			 Limavady 5 4 8 5 
			 Lisburn 7 8 7 4 
			 Magherafelt 1 3 1 4 
			 Moyle 0 2 0 1 
			 Newtownabbey 8 6 5 2 
			 North Down 8 10 2 5 
			 Newry and Mourne 6 4 1 1 
			 Omagh 2 3 2 2 
			 Strabane 1 0 5 0 
			 Missing 8 6 5 5 
			 Total 198 152 112 119 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Figures are based on the police district command unit in which an offender's address falls.
	2.Police district command units became operational in April 2001. However, calendar year 2000 data are also disaggregated by DCU, rather than police division.
	3.Missing data relate to those for which district command unit information is not available.

School Maintenance

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much public funding has been spent on (a) maintenance and (b) repair of school property in each of the 18 Northern Ireland constituencies in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: Information on maintenance and repair spending in each constituency is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In addition, neither the Department of Education nor Education and Library Boards' records distinguish spending between maintenance and repairs. Total spending on the maintenance, including repairs, of school property in each Education and Library Board area in the past five years was as follows:
	
		
			  £000 
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 BELB 9,860 10,673 11,318 9,573 5,497 
			 WELB 7,643 8,262 8,490 4,885 5,406 
			 NEELB 7,449 9,446 5,836 8,869 5,306 
			 SEELB 8,162 11,318 10,732 7,442 5,237 
			 SELB 11,244 9,283 9,704 9,949 7,937 
			 Total 44,358 48,982 46,080 40,718 29,383

School Vandalism

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were convicted in connection with vandalism to schools in Northern Ireland in 2005.

David Hanson: The data requested is not available. Court statistics relating to offences against property do not include detail relating to the type of property involved.

Smoking

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of deaths in Northern Ireland which were directly related to smoking in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: Smoking history is rarely recorded on death certificates. Estimates however have been made of the number of deaths attributable to smoking, by using information on the contribution that smoking makes to specific conditions recorded at death. The Health Development Agency 1 published the most recent estimates for Northern Ireland in 2004. This report estimated that over the period 1998–2002, an average of 2,300 deaths of people of all ages were caused by smoking each year in Northern Ireland.
	1 Twigg, L., Moon, G., and Walker, S. The smoking epidemic inEngland, Health Development Agency, 2004 (http://www.publichealth.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=502811)

Flood Prevention

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will instruct the Environment Agency to ensure that accurate local tidal data is available to inform reviews of flood management strategies for the Suffolk coastal estuaries.

Elliot Morley: I understand tide level information is used by the Environment Agency for a variety of purposes including flood warning and monitoring of long term trends and that every effort is made to ensure the data collected is accurate. Any faults with the Agency's tide sites are reported and rectified promptly. The Agency carries out quality assurance on the data that is provided. The Agency has gathered additional tide level information specifically for the estuary management strategies and these have been appropriately validated.

Driving (Sleep Problems)

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2005, Official Report, column 811W, on driving (sleep problems), and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the rise in DVLA inquiries about obstructive sleep apnoea.

Stephen Ladyman: The increasing number of inquiries to DVLA about obstructive sleep apnoea reflects media interest in the subject and the Agency's efforts to raise awareness among health professionals. DVLA is starting to see the benefits of regular review of drivers with the condition.

IT Systems

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date the Highway's Agency projection of costs associated with moving from Oracle to SAP was made.

Stephen Ladyman: The cost of moving the Highways Agency financial systems to the SAP system is being examined as part of the Department's shared services programme, taking into account the experience of moving the Agency from its legacy cash accounting systems to the Oracle system during 2002–03 and 2003–04. As Highways Agency finance will not be migrating to SAP for another three years, the full costs will not be known until detailed technical work, planned for a later stage of the shared services programme, is complete.
	A very broad estimate of the full costs of migrating Highways Agency finance of £10 to £15 million was given in oral evidence to the Transport Select Committee by the Agency's Finance Director on 15 February 2006. The migration costs reflected in the interim business case for the shared services programme assumed that it could be done for less, taking into account the work that would already have been carried out in establishing the core SAP platform. The interim business case included a further allowance for optimism bias of £5 million.

London and Continental Railways

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list (a) the advisers and (b) their parent companies who worked on the restructuring of London and Continental Railways in 1998.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 6 March 2006
	The Department appointed three sets of advisers in 1996 to provide specialist support in relation to the development and operation of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. They are the project representative, Mott Parsons Gibb, the financial agent, Schroders (now Citigroup), and the legal agent, CMS Cameron McKenna.
	These advisors also supported the Department in the 1998 restructuring of London and Continental Railways (LCR).

Transport Offences

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) notifiable and (b) non-notifiable offences were reported to the British Transport Police in 2004–05, broken down by (i)parliamentary constituency, (ii) region and (iii) police authority area.

Derek Twigg: The British Transport Police (BTP) have provided the following information on the number of (a) notifiable and (b) non-notifiable offences reported to the BTP in 2004–05 broken down by police authority area in England and Wales; this data is not collected by parliamentary constituency or by region and therefore can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Police force area Notifiable offences Non notifiable offences Total 
		
		
			 Avon Somerset 1,042 718 1,760 
			 Bedfordshire 568 160 728 
			 Cambridgeshire 833 316 1,149 
			 Cheshire 1,010 1,006 2,016 
			 City of London 1,742 524 2,266 
			 Cleveland 245 459 704 
			 Cumbria 287 356 643 
			 Derbyshire 434 490 924 
			 Devon Cornwall 806 864 1,670 
			 Dorset 312 124 436 
			 Durham 254 405 659 
			 Dyfed Powys 179 220 399 
			 Essex 2,354 835 3,189 
			 Gloucester 196 159 355 
			 Greater Manchester 2,571 2,983 5,554 
			 Gwent 207 264 471 
			 Hampshire 1,592 464 2,056 
			 Hertfordshire 1,868 538 2,406 
			 Humberside 442 1,058 1,500 
			 Kent 2,619 639 3,258 
			 Lancashire 822 1,099 1,921 
			 Leicestershire 417 412 829 
			 Lincolnshire 177 298 475 
			 Merseyside 2,061 2,233 4,294 
			 Metropolitan local stns 35,689 17,630 53,319 
			 Norfolk 396 168 564 
			 North Wales 338 427 765 
			 North Yorkshire 587 824 1,411 
			 Northamptonshire 192 128 320 
			 Northumbria 843 872 1,715 
			 Nottinghamshire 534 752 1,286 
			 South Wales 1,210 1,203 2,413 
			 South Yorkshire 808 1,218 2,026 
			 Staffordshire 323 343 666 
			 Suffolk 219 160 379 
			 Surrey 2,043 434 2,477 
			 Sussex 2,399 735 3,134 
			 Thames Valley 2,682 1,001 3,683 
			 Warwickshire 267 274 541 
			 West Mercia 506 454 960 
			 West Midlands 2,956 2,044 5,000 
			 West Yorkshire 2,587 2,149 4,736 
			 Wiltshire 291 154 445

Dialling Codes

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on Ofcom's plans to create regional dialling codes; and on what administrative government boundaries the codes will be based.

Alun Michael: The matter raised is the responsibility of the Regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which published its Review of the UK Telephone Numbering Plan on 23 February. As Ofcom has made clear, proposals are designed to preserve the existing system and to improve price transparency for consumers. Ofcom is not planning to create new regional dialling codes. Indeed, primary aim of Ofcom's proposals for these numbers is to reduce the risk of such changes, now and in the future. The fundamentals of the current plan will remain almost unchanged. Ofcom's plans involve changing the current numbering plan as little as possible while meeting increasing demand for numbers, which are of course a finite resource. The consultation can be found at the following internet address:
	http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/numberingreview/numbering.pdf.

Small Businesses

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many small businesses were created in the North West region in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005; and how many are expected to be created in 2006.

Alun Michael: The number of small businesses (less than 50 employees) created in the North West region in 2003 was 29,519 while the number for 2004 was 20,133. Figures for small business creation in 2005 are not yet available. There are no forecast projections for the number of small business expected to be created across the region in 2006.

Small Businesses

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are being put in place following the 2005 North West Regional Economic Strategy review to improve access to public and private sector business support providers.

Alun Michael: The revised Northwest Regional Economic Strategy, to be launched in March, sets out the future approach to develop the economy of the region and is the key document in which the RDA's business plan and other documents will be based. The first port of call for business support is the Business Link network within the Local Business Link or through the national website (businesslink.com). Last April oversight of Business Link passed to the RDAs and a review is currently being undertaken by the North West Development Agency (NWDA) of its Business Support and Business Link activities to ensure that these services address the main issues identified in the new Rural Economic Strategy (to be launched in March). The NWDA is also investigating how private sector business support activities can be better incorporated and leveraged by the public sector to improve the overall access, level and quality of service to businesses. Core issues under review include improving client awareness and understanding of services, simplifying services and improving efficiency.
	Business Link is a national brand" delivered locally, with the RDA responsible for quality delivery. The Business Link service will be a key driver to improving access and the review specifically focuses on how the business model for this service can be extended to increase penetration and access, in part through utilising existing business support structures. The NWDA is also investigating ways in which access and support to 'harder to reach' clients and those with different needs can be improved, such as mainstreaming where appropriate.

Afghanistan

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the militarycapability and sophistication of (a) the Talibanand (b) al-Qaeda forces operating in South Afghanistan;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the number and strength of (a) Taliban, (b) al-Qaeda and (c) illegal armed groups operating in South Afghanistan.

John Reid: The capabilities of Taliban, al Qaeda and illegally armed groups in Southern Afghanistan are limited and we believe do not currently pose a threat to the long-term stability of Afghanistan, although they pose a localised threat to international forces, representatives of the Afghan government and those who support it.
	The actual numbers of Taliban in Southern Afghanistan fluctuates, but could amount to over a thousand. al-Qaeda's presence in the area is small. There is also a range of illegally armed groups in the south with various tribal and criminal allegiances, contributing to general lawlessness. It is not possible to determine the number of armed individuals belonging to such groups across the South.

Harrier Deployment

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Harrier jets have been in Afghanistan during their deployment by the RAF; and on how many occasions in each six-month period they have engaged insurgents.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 14 Mach 2006
	Since September 2004, there have been six harriers based in Kandahar, Afghanistan. In this time 970 missions have been flown of which 21 have resulted in the release of weapons. One of these missions was in the first six months of the deployment; ten during the second six months; and ten since 1 November 2005.

Helicopters

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer of 6th February 2006, Official Report, column 825W, on helicopters, what was the average number of hours flown on operations for a Royal Air Force (a) Chinook, (b) Merlin, (c) Sea King and (d) Puma helicopter in (i) 2001, (ii) 2002 and (iii)2003.

Adam Ingram: Information in respect of hours flown on operations in 2001 and 2002 is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. An average yearly total for financial year 2003–04 has been calculated 1 and is shown in the following table:
	1 The calculation used is: total annual operational hours by aircraft type divided by the average number of aircraft type deployed on operations.
	
		
			 Aircraft type Financial year 2003–04 
		
		
			 RAF Chinook 192 
			 RAF Merlin 418 
			 RAF Puma 304 
		
	
	As I stated in my answer of 6 February 2006, Official Report, column 825W, the Sea Kings operated by the RAF are dedicated to the UK Search and Rescue capability and have, therefore, not been included in the figures provided.

International Security Assistance Force

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defencewhat funding levels each (a) NATO and (b) International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) coalition member has devoted to ISAF in the 2005–06 financial year.

Adam Ingram: The costs of operational deployments are a matter for the nations concerned.

Iraq

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the capture of a suspected insurgent by RAF Regiment soldiers near Basra airbase; and what the (a) age and (b) nationality was of the person seized.

Adam Ingram: The individual apprehended by British Forces near the Basrah airbase on 28 February 2006 was 25 years old and of Iraqi nationality.

Non-service Employment

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel applied to take up appointments with private military companies in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005, broken down by rank; andhow many of the applications were refused in each case.

Don Touhig: The rules on acceptance of appointments by Crown Servants (the 'Business Appointment Rules') contained in the Civil Service Management Code and Queen's Regulations require all officers in the armed forces, in certain circumstances, to apply for permission before taking up appointments with outside organisations for two years after leaving Crown Service.
	The number of Service personnel who have submitted applications under the Business Appointment Rules are as follows:
	
		Navy
		
			  2004 2005 
		
		
			 Admiral 1 1 
			 Vice Admiral 0 0 
			 Rear Admiral 2 4 
			 Commodore 2 3 
			 Captain 2 3 
			 Commander 9 7 
			 Lieutenant Commander 4 8 
			 Lieutenant 0 0 
			 Sub Lieutenant 0 0 
		
	
	
		Army
		
			  2004 2005 
		
		
			 General 1 0 
			 Lieutenant General 1 1 
			 Major General 1 2 
			 Brigadier 3 1 
			 Colonel 5 6 
			 Lieutenant Colonel 5 7 
			 Major 6 3 
			 Captain 2 0 
			 Lieutenant 0 0 
		
	
	
		RAF
		
			  2004 2005 
		
		
			 Air Chief Marshal 0 3 
			 Air Marshal 0 1 
			 Air Vice Marshal 3 1 
			 Air Commodore 2 4 
			 Group Captain 6 10 
			 Wing Commander 7 9 
			 Squadron Leader 6 13 
			 Flight Lieutenant 2 3 
		
	
	Please note that some personnel may have submitted more than one application. It is not known how many appointments were taken up. No applications were refused outright. However, on occasions approval will have been given subject to the application of a behavioural condition or a waiting period.

Voluntary Retirement

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Army (a) officers and (b) other ranks (i) were granted and (ii) applied for premature voluntary retirement or release in each quarter since January 2004.

Don Touhig: The table below shows the number of Voluntary Outflow Applications and the number of Voluntary Outflow Exits for Trained Officers and Soldiers for each quarter during the period 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2005.
	
		Number of Voluntary Outflow (VO) Applications and Exits of Trained Regular Army Officers and Soldiers from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2005
		
			  Officers Soldiers 
			 Date VO Applications VO Exits VO Applications VO Exits 
		
		
			 1 January 2004 to 31 March 2004 190 110 1,980 1,480 
			 1 April 2004 to 30 June 2004 200 140 1,630 1,050 
			 1 July 2004 to 30 September 2004 150 200 1,880 1,010 
			 1 October 2004 to 31 December 2004 130 80 1,970 1,260 
			 1 January 2005 to 31 March 2005 240 120 1,900 1,570 
			 1 April 2005 to 30 June 2005 80 170 1,860 1,020 
			 1 July 2005 to 30 September 2005 230 180 1,690 1,180 
			 1 October 2005 to 31 December 2005 190 130 1,670 1,100 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.The term Premature Voluntary Release has been changed to Voluntary Outflow (VO),although the methodology for calculating the totals remains the same.
	2.VO is defined as all applications and exits from trained personnel which are generated by the individual before their time expiry.
	3.The figures are based on all Voluntary Outflow from the Trained strength of the UK Regular Army.
	4.All applications are counted according to the date received in MOD.
	5.The data have been rounded to the nearest 10, number ending in '5' have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Antisocial Behaviour

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what penalties have been imposed, broken down by type, in each incident that has come to court of an antisocial behaviour order being breached in each London borough; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many antisocial behaviour orders have been breached in each of the last five years; how many breaches have come to court; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) breach data held centrally only cover breach proceedings where there has been a conviction. These data are currently available from 1 June 2000 to 31 December 2003 for ASBOs issued since 1 June 2000. The available information on the number of orders breached in England and Wales, by period, is given in table A.
	ASBO breach data are available at criminal justice system area level only. The penalties imposed as a result of convictions in Greater London courts are given in table B.
	
		Table A: Number of antisocial behaviour orders breached, as reported to the Home Office, by period, from 1 June 2000 to 31 December 2003(95)England and Wales
		
			 Period Total breached 
		
		
			 June 2000 to December 2000 14 
			 2001 118 
			 2002 240 
			 2003 609 
			 June 2000 to December 2003 793 
		
	
	(95)Breaches are counted in this table on a persons basis, i.e. where the order has been breached on more than one occasion within the same period, a person is counted once only within that period
	
		Table B: Sentences and penalties following ASBO breach proceedings, as notified to the Home Office, within Greater London, from 1 June 2000 to 31 December 2003
		
			  Sentence Average length or amount  Total 
		
		
			 Conditional discharge Length of order— 7.5 months 2 
			 Fine £73 23 
			
			 Community sentence   
			 Community punishment order 47 hours 3 
			 Curfew order 3 months 2 
			 Attendance centre order 13 hours 3 
			 Action plan order n/a 1 
			 Supervision order 15 months 2 
			 Community rehabilitation order 2 years 1 
			
			 Custody1   
			 Imprisonment (aged 18 and over) 2 months 63 
			 Detention and training order (under 18) 6.5 months 9 
			
			 Other   
			 Referral order 6 months 1 
			 Suspended sentence of imprisonment 13.5days(97) 2 
			 Hospital order n/a 1 
			 Committed to Crown court for sentence (98)— 2 
			 Not separately dealt with n/a 1 
			 Total — 116 
		
	
	n/a=not applicable
	(96)Some sentences will be concurrent with others given for another offence.
	(97)Length of prison sentence.
	(98)One person received a community rehabilitation order, length two years, the other imprisonment for 1 month.

Care in Custody

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if he will list the prisons that operate the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork programme;
	(2)  which prisons have converted to Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork processes for assessing at-risk inmates; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: The prisons that are already usingthe Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork Approach (ACCT) are (as at 13 March):
	Feltham
	Holme House
	Low Newton
	Wandsworth
	Woodhill
	Castington
	Hull
	Leeds
	New Hall
	Buckley Hall
	Lancaster Farms
	Manchester
	Preston
	Styal
	Winchester
	Bullingdon
	Bristol
	Dorchester
	Exeter
	Holloway
	Stoke Heath
	Liverpool
	Birmingham
	Blakenhurst
	Glen Parva
	High Down
	Lewes
	Swinfen Hall
	Downview
	Swaleside
	Nottingham
	Bedford
	Cardiff
	Maidstone
	Eastwood Park
	Long Lartin
	Albany
	Pentonville
	The Wolds
	Wormwood Scrubs
	Parkhurst
	Doncaster
	Brinsford
	Shrewsbury
	Swansea
	Norwich
	Leicester
	The Mount
	Stafford
	Wakefield
	Guys Marsh
	Risley
	Whitemoor
	Brixton
	Gloucester
	ACCT is being introduced across the estate as part of a phased programme, designed to ensure that the necessary staff training takes place before an establishment goes live with the new system.

Illegal Immigrants

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the HomeDepartment how many illegal immigrants are in prison.

Fiona Mactaggart: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Police

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what average number of hours per week was worked by a special constable in (a) West Lancashire, (b) Lancashire and (c) England and Wales in each year since the beginning of the scheme.

Hazel Blears: Special constables are volunteers and the hours individual specials work varies. Data on hours worked by special constables is collected by police force area; figures are not collected centrally for West Lancashire. Available information on the average number of special constable hours per week are as follows:
	
		Hours per week
		
			  2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Lancashire 1,379 1,389 
			 25 forces providing data(99) 19,452 21,266 
		
	
	(99)Forces not providing data are Avon and Somerset, Cambridgeshire, Cleveland, Derbyshire, Durham, Greater Manchester, Humberside, Merseyside, Metropolitan Police, North Wales, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, South Wales, Suffolk, Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley and West Midlands).

Police Pensions

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many injury award pensions arebeing paid by each police force in England and Wales.

Hazel Blears: I refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave on 7 March 2006, Official Report, column 1317W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Central Ayrshire (Mr. Donohoe).

Prisoners

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners released from foreign prisons were held by British police on their return for (a) one hour, (b) two hours, (c) three hours, (d) four hours, (e) five hours and (f) six hours or moreat each airport in the UK in each of the last five years.

Fiona Mactaggart: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Security Industry

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in ensuring all employees in the security industry receive new Security Industry Association identity cards prior to the 20 March 2006 deadline; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: From 20 March, contracted manned guards will be required to be licensed to carry out licensable activities. As at 8 March, 77,895 applications had been submitted by the manned guarding sector to the Security Industry Authority (SIA) and 37,333 had received a licence, with a further 12,244 waiting to go on the system. The SIA are currently issuing around 275 licences per day to manned guards.
	To address the backlog of licence applications caused by late applications, the SIA has doubled its processing capacity, and has worked closely with companies to reduce applicant error rates.

World Cup

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for theHome Department whether he plans to introduce new legislative measures to combat potential hooliganism from English fans at this year's football World Cup.

Paul Goggins: Refinements to existing football disorder legislation are included in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill. These measures are not essential to our plans for preventing banning order subjects and other risk fans from leaving England and Wales during the World Cup or for minimising the risk of disorder among England fans during the tournament.

Art Acquisitions

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on works of art by NHS organisations in Suffolk in each of the past five years.

Rosie Winterton: Data are not collected centrally on the particular purchase of works of art. However, information is provided annually by National Health Service trusts on the amount invested in arts and art projects including labour, material and resources received from other organisations. This information was first collected in 2002–03 and information covering these returns for 2002–03 through to 2004–05 is shown in the table.
	
		NHS trust investment in art and art projects £000
		
			 Trust name 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Suffolk West Primary Care Trust (PCT) 0 0 0 
			 Central Suffolk PCT 0 0 0 
			 Suffolk Coast PCT 0 0 0 
			 Waveney PCT 0 0 0 
			 Ipswich PCT 0 0 0 
			 Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust 0 0 6,712 
			 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 10,000 0 0 
			 Suffolk Mental Health Partnership Trust 0 0 0 
		
	
	The data provided have not been amended centrally and the accuracy of these data are the responsibility of the provider organisation. Data for 2002–03 and 2003–04 were provided as part of a mandatory data set. The information for 2004–05 was provided by trusts on a voluntary basis as part of the initiative to reduce bureaucracy in the NHS.

Carers

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthwhat estimate she has made of the number of people in (a) Staffordshire and (b) the Tamworth constituency who are (a) paid and (b) unpaid carers for relatives.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested on paid carers is not held centrally. The number of unpaid carers as identified in the 2001 census in Staffordshire and Tamworth are available on the Office for National Statistics website at: www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/profiles/rank/rank_health.asp

Chlamydia

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many (a) people and (b) men were tested for Chlamydia by each local National Chlamydia Screening programme area in (i) 2004–05 and (ii) 2003–04;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the extent to which the National Chlamydia Screening programme successfully targets men.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is shown in the table.
	The national chlamydia screening programme provides opportunistic screening for genital chlamydia infection and is offered to all sexually active women and men aged between 16 and 24-years-old attending a variety of health and non health care settings in England.
	We have rolled out the screening programme successfully to 25 per cent. of primary care trusts and we expect to see screening begin in most areas in April 2006. This is well ahead of the 2007 target.
	The number of programme areas, screening venues and screening tests have increased over time. By the end of the second year, 26 programme areas were in operation and screening occurred in 21 different settings, comprising 872 different venues. Men accounted for 12 per cent. of the total screened. However, provisional data suggests that to December 2005 this figure has increased to 17 per cent.
	Men have been screened in a variety of non-traditional settings including universities, military bases, prisons, youth offending institutions, work places, pharmacies, the voluntary sector and postal kits as well as through e-mail. Screening has also taken place in traditional health care settings such as general practice, contraceptive and young people's clinics.
	
		Number of screens in under 25-year-olds outside genitourinary medicine clinics by sex, programme area and year, April 2003 to March 2005
		
			April 2003 to March 2004 April 2004 to March 2005 
			 Programme area Phase Quarter began screening Males Females Total Males Females Total 
		
		
			 Birmingham 2 April to June 2004 — — — 412 3,149 3,561 
			 Brent and Harrow 2 October to December 2004 — — — 83 590 673 
			 Brighton 2 July to September 2004 — — — 434 1,707 2,141 
			 Camden and Islington 1 April to June 2003 54 3,336 3,390 145 3,623 3,768 
			 Cornwall 1 April to June 2003 408 1,848 2,256 745 2,485 3,230 
			 Coventry 2 Oct to Dec 2004 — — — 22 248 270 
			 Durham 2 October to December 2004 — — — 488 712 1,200 
			 East Cheshire 2 April to June 2004 — — — 139 1,373 1,512 
			 East Kent 2 October to December 2004 — — — 208 1,073 1,281 
			 Enfield 2 October to December 2004 — — — 0 431 431 
			 Hull 1 Oct to Dec 2003 149 378 527 982 3,060 4,042 
			 Leeds 1 October to December 2003 45 499 544 721 2,474 3,195 
			 Liverpool 2 April to June 2004 — — — 570 7,580 8,150 
			 LSL 1 January to March 2004 143 773 916 1,187 7,760 8,947 
			 Luton 2 October to December 2004 — — — 136 651 787 
			 Norfolk 2 October to December 2004 — — — 23 313 336 
			 Nottingham 1 July to September 2003 193 2,959 3,152 318 4,876 5,194 
			 Portsmouth 1 April to June 2003 79 2,387 2,466 260 3,712 3,972 
			 Sheffield 2 July to September 2004 — — — 111 1,543 1,654 
			 Slough 2 July to September 2004 — — — 134 558 692 
			 Southend 1 October to December 2003 23 807 830 75 1,544 1,619 
			 Stoke 2 Oct to Dec 2004 — — — 27 458 485 
			 West Cheshire 2 April to June 2004 — — — 8 494 502 
			 Winchester 2 April to June 2004 — — — 400 1,112 1,512 
			 Wirral 1 April to June 2003 108 2,762 2,870 166 2,745 2,911 
			 York 1 October to December 2003 15 427 442 141 1,065 1,206 
			 Total   1,217 16,176 17,393 7,935 55,336 63,271 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.LSL is Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham
	2.The national chlamydia screening programme has currently been rolled out to 26 programme areas (10 areas came on board between April 2003 and March 2004)

Dentistry

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average remuneration per full-time equivalent NHS general dental practitioner in York and Selby was in (a) cash and (b) real terms (i) in each of the last five years and (ii) at the latest date for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: Average remuneration per full-time equivalent national health service general dental practitioner in the York and Selby Primary Care Trust area alone is not identifiable from data available centrally.
	All estimated average annual net incomes, between the financial years 1999–2000 and 2004–05, of general dental service (GDS) dentists with a reasonable commitment to the GDS are shown in the table.
	
		Estimated average GDS net income for dentists with a reasonable GDS commitment(100), 1997–98 to 2004–05, England and Wales -- £
		
			 Financial year Estimated average net income (cash terms) Estimated average net income (real term: 2004–05 prices) 
		
		
			 1999–2000 55,700 62,500 
			 2000–01(101) (102)59,200 (102)65,600 
			 2001–02 60,500 65,400 
			 2002–03 63,300 66,400 
			 2003–04 66,700 68,100 
			 2004–05 70,000 70,000 
		
	
	(100)Dentists with a reasonable commitment to the GDS are defined as dentists with GDS earnings equivalent to at least £40,000 in 1993–94 in fees for treatments and patient capitation. This equivalent is calculated each year by adjusting figures to take into account the effect of fee increases. The equivalent figure for 2004–05 is £59,100.
	(101)Commitment payments started in 2001.
	(102)Figures since 2000–01 use a different methodology to calculate the contribution from other non- fee/capitation payments.
	Note:
	Figures converted into real terms using GDP deflator at market prices. Department of Health and NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre analysis of Dental Practice Board payments and HMRC tax data.
	Source:
	Department of Health and NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre analysis of Dental Practice Board payments and HMRC tax data.
	The income figures cover both estimated fees for treatments and patient capitation as well as other estimated payments such as seniority payments and commitment payments and payments for maternity and sickness.

Dentistry

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on NHS general dental services in York and Selby in (a) cash and (b) real terms in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: Primary dental care services are mainly provided by dentists working within the general dental service (CDS), or personal dental service (PDS) pilots. The CDS is currently a non discretionary service funded from a national budget where expenditure is mainly determined by the volume of national health service work that dentists choose to undertake, rather than by local budget allocations assigned to individual primary care trusts (PCTs). Data on the level of expenditure within the area of the York and Selby PCT, drawn from payments data obtained from the Dental Practice Board, is shown in the tables.
	The level of expenditure on community dental services is decided at local level by PCTs.
	
		CDS and PDS dental payments within York and Selby PCT(£ million, cash terms)
		
			  Gross GDS and PDS payments(103)(104)(105) Net GDS and PDS payments(106) 
		
		
			 2000–01 8.266 5.134 
			 2001–02 8.998 5.715 
			 2002–03 9.520 5.947 
			 2003–04 9.879 6.359 
			 2004–05 10.089 7.050 
		
	
	(103)Gross GDS payments include adult fees (including item of service and continuing care payments), child fees (including item of service and capitation payments), commitment payments and point of treatment check payment training (in 2001 only), seniority payments, maternity/paternity/adoptive leave payments, long term sick leave payments, continuing professional development allowances including travel hours, reimbursement of business rates, vocational training grants, vocational trainee salaries and national insurance contribution costs, clinical audit convenors, clinical audit payments, clinical audit secretarial support and travel expenses. Employer's superannuation costs are excluded.
	(104)PDS payment data is included for 2004–05 only and relates to baseline payments or the agreed regular monthly payments made to PDS practices. Reliable PDS data at practice level is not available prior to 2004–05.
	(105)Payments are assigned to PCT area on the basis of practice postcode data.
	(106)Net payments represent the balance of payments due after taking account of NHS dental charge income collected from patients by dental practices.
	
		CDS and PDS dental payments within York and Selby PCT(£ million, 2004–05 prices(107))
		
			  Gross GDS and PDS payments(108)(109)(110) Net GDS and PDS payments(111) 
		
		
			 2000–01 8.266 5.134 
			 2001–02 8.998 5.715 
			 2002–03 9.520 5.947 
			 2003–04 9.879 6.359 
			 2004–05 10.089 7.050 
		
	
	(107)Figures have been converted into real terms using 2004–05 gross domestic product deflators, that is, 2004–05 = 100.
	(108)Gross GDS payments include adult fees (including item of service and continuing care payments), child fees (including item of service and capitation payments), commitment payments and point of treatment check payment training (in 2001 only), seniority payments, maternity/paternity/adoptive leave payments, long term sick leave payments, continuing professional development allowances including travel hours, reimbursement of business rates, vocational training grants, vocational trainee salaries and national insurance contribution costs, clinical audit convenors, clinical audit payments, clinical audit secretarial support and travel expenses. Employer's superannuation costs are excluded.
	(109)PDS payment data is included for 2004–05 only and relates to baseline payments or the agreed regular monthly payments made to PDS practices. Reliable PDS data at practice level is not available prior to 2004–05.
	(110)Payments are assigned to PCT area on the basis of practice postcode data.
	(111)Net payments represent the balance of payments due after taking account of NHS dental charge income collected from patients by dental practices.

Dentistry

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthhow many NHS dentists, excluding principals, assistants and trainees, worked for the Bournemouth primary care trust in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: Dentists consist of principals, assistants and trainees. The number of national health service dentists within Bournemouth teaching primary care trust (PCT) as at September each year is shown in the table.
	
		Bournemouth teaching PCT
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 64 
			 1998 73 
			 1999 75 
			 2000 73 
			 2001 72 
			 2002 76 
			 2003 71 
			 2004 70 
			 2005 74 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Data includes all notifications of dentists joining or leaving the CDS or PDS, received by the Dental Practice Board, up to 19 October 2005. Figures for the numbers of dentists at specified dates may vary depending upon the notification period, for example, data with a later notification period will include more recent notifications of dentists joining or leaving the GDS or PDS.
	2.Dentists consist of principals, assistants and trainees. Prison contracts have been excluded from the data.
	3.The postcode of the dental practice was used to allocate dentists to specific geographic areas. PCT areas have been defined using the Office for National Statistics all fields postcode directory.
	4.Figures have been provided by the NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre. The data source is the Dental Practice Board and the figures are based on the numbers of dentists with open GDS or PDS contracts.
	5.A dentist with a GDS or PDS contract may provide as little or as much NHS treatment as he or she chooses or has agreed with the PCT. The Dental Practice Board has no information concerning the amount of time dedicated to NHS work by individual dentists.
	6.Data on dentists that work only in private practice are not held centrally.
	Source:
	Dental Practice Board

Dentistry

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists there have been in Haltemprice and Howden constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		General dental services (GDS) and personal dental services (PDS): Number of national health service dentists in Haltemprice and Howden parliamentary constituency as at 30 September each year
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 18 
			 1998 18 
			 1999 17 
			 2000 18 
			 2001 21 
			 2002 23 
			 2003 26 
			 2004 28 
			 2005 31 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Data includes all notifications of dentists joining or leaving the GDS or PDS, received by the Dental Practice Board, up to 19 October 2005. Figures for the numbers of dentists at specified dates may vary depending upon the notification period, e.g. data with a later notification period will include more recent notifications of dentists joining or leaving the GDS or PDS.
	2.Dentists consist of principals, assistants and trainees. Prison contracts have been excluded from the data.
	3.The postcode of the dental practice was used to allocate dentists to specific geographic areas. Constituency areas have been defined using the Office for National Statistics all fields postcode directory.
	Source:
	Dental Practice Board

Diabetes

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been diagnosed with diabetes (a) in the area served by Shropshire County primary care trust and (b) in each constituency in Shropshire in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The figures are not available in the format requested. The table shows the number of people identified by practices as having diabetes. Data from before December 2004 is not available.
	
		Number
		
			 Primary care trust (PCT) December 2005 December 2004 
		
		
			 Shropshire County PCT 10,927 9,345 
			 Telford and Wrekin PCT 6,199 5,458 
			 Total 17,126 14,803

Digital Hearing Aids

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the waiting lists for fitting of new digital hearing aids at the audiology department of Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The modernising hearing aid services (MHAS) programme run by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf on behalf of the Department has achieved its target for all 164 national health service audiology services to be routinely fitting digital hearing aids by April 2005.
	Information relating to waiting times for digital hearing aids at the Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals is a matter for the chair of the Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. I have written to Clive Morton informing him of your inquiry. He will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library. I am informed by the chairman of Monitor, the statutory name for which is the independent regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts, that the trust has made good progress during 2005–06 in addressing the financial deficit which it incurred in 2004–05.

Drug Rehabilitation (Cambridgeshire)

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residential drug rehabilitation places were available in Cambridgeshire in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: According to the national treatment agency's (NTA) directory of residential services there are no residential drug rehabilitation places in Cambridgeshire. There is a distinction between residential drug rehabilitation places available in an area and the residential treatment available to the population of that area. Placements are calculated, therefore, by the number of residential placements commissioned by an area's drug action team (DAT) or local social services authority. Figures for Cambridgeshire DAT are shown in the table 1 .
	1 This data was first collected from the local DAT as part of the national drug treatment monitoring system for 2003–04.
	
		
			  Number of placements (actual) 
		
		
			 2003–04 12 
			 2004–05 30 
			 2005–06 282 
		
	
	(112)To end of 2005.

Electroconvulsive Therapy

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what legislation covers the administration of electroconvulsive therapy in hospitals in England and Wales; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will bring forward legislation to ensure that valid consent is obtained where an individual has the ability to grant or refuse consent to the use of electroconvulsive therapy; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Mental Health Act 1983 sets out the circumstances in which people with a mental disorder who are being treated compulsorily under that act may receive electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The act allows ECT to be given to patients who are under compulsory powers when a patient with capacity consents or if the patient's doctor prescribes it and a second opinion appointed doctor agrees to it. The Government is planning to introduce new mental health legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Health Services (Shropshire/Staffordshire)

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the clinical negligence payments made by hospitals trusts under the Shropshire and Staffordshire strategic health authority area in 2004–05.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested on the clinical negligence payments made by the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) on behalf of hospital trusts within the Shropshire and Staffordshire strategic health authority (SHA) in 2004–05 is shown in the following table.
	
		Clinical negligence payments made by the NHSLA in 2004–05 for all claims against trusts in Shropshire and Staffordshire SHA £
		
			 Member name Total paid 
		
		
			 Burton Hospitals National Health Service Trust 335,088 
			 Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust 652,418 
			 North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust 106,764 
			 Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District  Hospital NHS Trust 81,258 
			 Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust 951,905 
			 South Staffordshire Healthcare NHS Trust 33,420 
			 Staffordshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 0 
			 University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust 3,515,590 
		
	
	Note:
	The data applies to all payments made by NHSLA in 2004–05 regardless of the year of claim.

Hip Replacement (Peterborough)

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for a hip replacement was in the Greater Peterborough primary care partnership area in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Mean and median time waited in days based on elective finished admission episodes (waiting list and booked cases) for hip replacement surgery in North Peterborough and South Peterborough primary care trusts. National health service hospitals, England 2004–05
		
			  Median waiting time (days) 
		
		
			 2000–01 259 
			 2001–02 191 
			 2002–03 237 
			 2003–04 211 
			 2004–05 194 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Finished admission episodes:
	A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	2.Main operation:
	The main operation is the first recorded operation in the hospital episodes statistics (HES) data set and is usually the most resource intensive procedure performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main operation when looking at admission details, for example time waited, but the figures for all operations count of episodes give a more complete count of episodes with an operation.
	3.Time waited (days):
	Time waited statistics from HES are not the same as the published waiting list statistics. HES provides counts and time waited for all patients admitted to hospital within a given period whereas the published waiting list statistics count those waiting for treatment on a specific date and how long they have been on the waiting list. Also, HES calculates the time waited as the difference between the admission and decision to admit dates. Unlike published waiting list statistics, this is not adjusted for self-deferrals or periods of medical/social suspension.
	4.Ungrossed data:
	Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data, that is, the data is ungrossed.
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre

Methylphenidate

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions for methylphenidate were written in each of the last five years, broken down by type of methylphenidate.

Jane Kennedy: It is not known how many prescriptions for methylphenidate drugs have been written. However, the table shows the total number of national health service prescription items that were written and dispensed in the community in England for the different products of methylphenidate prescribed, including generic versions, in each of the last five years where data is available.
	
		Number of prescription items of Methylphenidate Hydrochloride dispensed in the community in England 2000 to 2004 Thousand
		
			 Product name 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Concerta (113)— 0.1 44.6 134.9 189.2 
			 Equasym 4.9 27.7 47.0 54.5 34.1 
			 Metadate (113)— (113)— (114)0.0 (114)0.0 (114)0.0 
			 Methylphenidate HCI (generic) (114)0.0 0.1 0.4 0.3 67.6 
			 Ritalin 181.3 180.6 161.8 124.5 67.8 
			 Tranquilyn (113)— (113)— (114)0.0 0.2 0.3 
			 Total Methylphenidate prescription items 186.2 208.5 254.0 314.5 359.1 
		
	
	(113)Denotes that no items were dispensed.
	(114)0.0 denotes less than 50 prescription items were dispensed.
	Source:
	Prescription cost analysis system, Prescription Pricing Authority.
	Detailed information on the number of prescriptions of Methylphenidate at individual preparation level is available from the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk.

St. Bartholomew's Hospital

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the costs incurred in the private finance initiative project to redevelop St.Bartholomew's and the London NHS Trust as a result of the delay in giving final approval to the project beyond 31 January.

Jane Kennedy: Since the trust submitted their final business case, they have undertaken additional work with their private sector partners. This has resulted in the annual unitary charge the trust has to pay over the lifetime of the contract being reduced from £116.9 million per annum to £96.6 million per annum. This will save the taxpayer approximately £650 million when measured over the original concession period.

Transplant Surgery

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were on waiting lists for transplant surgery for (a) heart, (b) liver and (c) kidney in each year between 1995 and 2005, broken down by region.

Rosie Winterton: The following tables show the number registered (active and suspended 1 ) for transplant surgery, at 31 December of each year from 1997 for heart, liver and kidney. Similar figures were not routinely collected for 1995 and 1996.
	
		Number registered (active and suspended(115)) for a heart(116) transplant in the United Kingdom at 31 Decemberof each year since 1997, by region(117)
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 Northern and Yorkshire 51 62 49 61 50 53 54 42 24 
			 Trent 51 45 42 24 5 — — — — 
			 Anglia and Oxford 46 38 37 33 26 40 33 31 33 
			 North Thames 169 145 165 102 72 55 51 61 50 
			 South Thames 10 15 14 6 1 — — — — 
			 North West 59 32 33 17 8 9 12 15 19 
			 West Midlands 18 25 19 22 16 13 12 12 15 
			 Scotland 41 36 32 — 9 5 1 5 3 
		
	
	(115)Suspended means the patient has been temporarily removed from the list.
	(116)Includes heart/lung.
	(117)Numbers are based on the region of the transplant centre where patient was registered. For heart transplants, three of these centres closed in this period, one only temporarily.
	
		Number registered (active and suspended(118)) for a liver transplant in the UK at 31 Decemberof each year since 1997, by region(119)
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 Northern and Yorkshire 29 27 38 30 24 42 46 31 47 
			 Anglia and Oxford 13 18 22 14 9 8 40 11 20 
			 North Thames 35 30 13 13 14 14 27 23 40 
			 South Thames 67 66 58 62 51 69 88 117 154 
			 West Midlands 36 55 30 25 46 25 25 48 75 
			 Scotland 4 7 6 11 16 10 23 28 28 
			 Total 184 203 167 155 160 168 249 258 364 
		
	
	(118)Suspended means the patient has been temporarily removed from the list.
	(119)Numbers are based on the region of the transplant centre where patient was registered. For heart transplants, three of these centres closed in this period, one only temporarily.
	
		Number registered (active and suspended(120)) for a kidney(121) transplant in the UK at 31 December of each year since 1997, by region(122)
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 Northern and Yorkshire 570 560 573 556 589 615 638 668 688 
			 Trent 460 498 533 556 628 611 671 736 768 
			 Anglia and Oxford 450 409 369 368 458 476 497 524 608 
			 North Thames 1,031 1,048 1,084 1,163 1,058 1,001 950 1,032 1,065 
			 South Thames 534 557 527 553 530 597 615 722 637 
			 North West 703 679 724 736 772 840 912 935 953 
			 South West 445 421 477 504 498 546 531 539 587 
			 West Midlands 528 605 640 690 702 703 699 721 732 
			 Wales 160 200 222 248 221 236 258 265 264 
			 Northern Ireland 122 138 171 186 201 209 231 247 273 
			 Scotland 594 578 584 566 566 585 556 576 681 
			 Total 5,597 5,693 5,904 6,126 6,223 6,419 6,558 6,965 7,256 
		
	
	(120)Suspended means the patient has been temporarily removed from the list.
	(121)Includes kidney/pancreas.
	(122)Numbers are based on the region of the transplant centre where patient was registered. For heart transplants, three of these centres closed in this period, one only temporarily.

Type-2 Diabetes

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were diagnosed as suffering from type-2 diabetes in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The figures are not available in the format requested. The table shows the number of children admitted to hospital each year where type-2 diabetes was recorded in diagnoses fields, including primary diagnoses and any of the secondary diagnoses fields.
	
		All diagnoses count of patient for selected diagnoses—age at start of episode-under 18—national health service hospitals England, 1997–98 to 2004–05
		
			  Patient counts 
		
		
			 1997–98 176 
			 1998–99 180 
			 1999–2000 189 
			 2000–01 196 
			 2001–02 242 
			 2003–04 307 
			 2004–05 338 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Patient counts
	Patient counts are based on the unique patient identifier hospital episodes statistics identification (HESID). This identifier is derived based on patient's date of birth, postcode, sex, local patient identifier and NHS number, using an agreed algorithm. Where data is incomplete, HESID might erroneously link episodes or fail to recognise episodes for the same patient. Care is therefore needed, especially where duplicate records persist in the data. The patient count cannot be summed across a table where patient may have episodes in more than one cell.
	2.All diagnoses count of patients
	These figures represent a count of all patients where the diagnosis was mentioned in any of the 14 (seven prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the HES record.
	Source:
	Hospital Episodes Statistics. NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre

Adult Education

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the level of funding for adult education was in each London borough in each of the last five years; and what funding is estimated to be for 2005–06.

Bill Rammell: The Department does not hold figures for adult education funding at local or regional levels. The Department allocates funds for the post-16 education and training sector to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) working through 47 local offices. Some of the information you require is available on the LSC's website. The LSC was established in 2001 bringing the planning and funding of post-16 education together under one body within a framework set by Government. Mark Haysom, the council's chief executive has written to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
	Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 14 February 2006
	I write in response to your request for information from the Secretary of State for Education about the level of funding for adult education in London. I attach a breakdown of Adult Community Learning (ACL) expenditure for the academic years 2001/2 to 2004/5 and the forecast expenditure for 2005/6 by London Borough.
	The LSC took over responsibility for funding ACL from April 2001 when it was established. The funding for 2001/02, the transition year, was set by the Department for Education & Skills. Data for years prior to 2001 is held by the Department.
	Finally, it should be noted that this data relates to Adult Community Learning and does not include adult learners attending training courses at Further Education Colleges.
	
		Adult community learning (ACL) allocations by borough from 2001/02 academic year to date, London Central LSC
		
			 Provider name 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06(123) 
		
		
			 Southwark 887,097 1,089,596 1,220,870 1,453,830 1,453,830 
			 Wandsworth 1,506,675 1,736,892 1,838,354 1,907,390 1,908,715 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,034,227 1,216,337 1,252,625 1,320,308 1,320,308 
			 Camden 911,903 1,092,610 1, 149,927 1,326,280 1,326,280 
			 Westminster City Council 2,471,430 2,777,688 2,877,998 3,000,212 3,000,212 
			 Lambeth 1,878,462 2,167,835 2,273,074 2,490,185 2,490,185 
			 Islington 541,593 667,816 795,113 1,035,462 1,035,462 
		
	
	
		London North LSC
		
			 Provider name 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06(123) 
		
		
			 Waltham Forest 1,434,058 1,659,492 1,786,630 1,903,697 1,908,265 
			 Enfield 129,181 236,985 365,371 475,334 451,964 
			 Barnet 288,929 409,164 526,481 555,936 451,964 
			 Haringey 1,649,780 1,870,663 2,024,710 2,310,147 2,309,068 
		
	
	
		London South LSC
		
			 Provider name 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06(123) 
		
		
			 Kingston upon Thames 623,956 758,818 776,585 824,710 794,845 
			 Bromley 763,776 1,004,813 1,074,538 1,150,929 1,137,889 
			 Sutton 1,501,048 1,701,915 1,785,353 1,829,280 1,207,580 
			 Merton 751,786 904,487 956,094 978,095 998,989 
			 Croydon 1,764,422 2,165,179 2,324,078 2,361,538 2,355,713 
			 Richmond upon Thames 388,161 498,299 606,578 617,937 617,937 
		
	
	
		London East LSC
		
			 Provider name 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06(123) 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 668,598 803,655 993,646 990,387 992,554 
			 Bexley 851,261 1,009,190 1,307,266 1,314,446 1,289,446 
			 City of London 471,346 533,807 550,336 598,384 563,384 
			 Greenwich 1,467,187 1,796,680 1,997,960 2,038,835 1,988,635 
			 Hackney 1,447,378 1,687,923 2,222,880 2,067,381 2,017,381 
			 Havering 340,276 474,946 559,139 569,351 569,351 
			 Lewisham 1,863,919 2,111,576 2,442,708 2,565,384 2,478,484 
			 Newham 1,201,847 1,461,968 1,731,041 1,748,288 1,675,888 
			 Redbridge 862,171 1,098,967 1,263,947 1,336,061 1,330,061 
			 Tower Hamlets 2,045,420 2,317,771 2,485,777 2,583,821 2,505,491 
		
	
	
		London West LSC
		
			 Provider name 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06(123) 
		
		
			 Brent 1,180,982 1,470,448 1,606,740 1,682,708 1,687,131 
			 Hillingdon 527,379 694,376 842,972 864,375 898,402 
			 Hounslow 933,891 1,118,207 1,216,691 1,284,426 1,283,850 
			 Ealing 302,462 380,266 604,005 650,527 620,527 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,507,034 1,760,364 1,817,690 1,900,865 1,900,288 
			 Harrow 446,552 602,928 671,501 770,009 723,820 
		
	
	(123)Forecast.

Education Provision (Hendon)

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on levels of school (a) attendance and (b) exclusions in Hendon.

Jacqui Smith: In Hendon constituency the rates of authorised absence (percentage of half days missed in 2004/05) were 5.3 per cent. in maintained primary schools and 5.6 per cent. in maintained secondary schools. The comparative rates for unauthorised absence were 0.9 per cent. in primary schools and 1.1 per cent. in secondary schools. The primary school rates for both authorised and unauthorised absence are above the local authority (Barnet) and National averages. Hendon secondary schools were below the National average for authorised and unauthorised absence, but were above the local authority average for unauthorised absence.
	In Hendon constituency in 2003/04 (the most recent year for which figures are available) there were no permanent exclusions from maintained primary or special schools, and nine permanent exclusions from maintained secondary schools (0.11 per cent. of the total number of pupils on the school roll in January 2004). Data are given in the table for exclusions from Hendon secondary schools from 1999/2000 to 2003/04. Over the last three years the rates of permanent exclusions in schools in Hendon have been half of those for Barnet LA and for England, however the figures for Hendon are quite small and can fluctuate over the years.
	
		Maintained secondary schools: number and percentage of permanent exclusions
		
			  Hendon parliamentary constituency Barnet local authority England(124) 
			  Number Percentage(125) Number Percentage(125) Number Percentage(125) 
		
		
			 1999/00 16 0.20 50 0.24 6,710 0.21 
			 2000/01(126) 23 0.28 50 0.24 7,310 0.23 
			 2001/02(126) 9 0.11 51 0.24 7,740 0.24 
			 2002/03(126) 8 0.10 42 0.20 7,690 0.23 
			 2003/04(126) 9 0.11 42 0.20 8,320 0.25 
		
	
	(124)National figures have been rounded to the nearest 10
	(125)The number of exclusions expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils on the school roll in January of the same school year. Excludes dually registered pupils
	(126)There are known quality issues with exclusions data for these years. Figures shown here for Hendon.
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census

Educational Psychologists

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many educational psychologists were employed in each local education authority in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The following table provides the number of full-time equivalent educational psychologists employed in each local authority in each January since 1997.
	
		Full-time equivalent number of educational psychologists(127) in local authorities, in England 1997 to 2005
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 City of London (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— 
			 Camden 8 8 8 11 12 11 13 16 16 
			 Greenwich 16 17 16 13 15 16 21 12 15 
			 Hackney 11 10 11 12 13 12 11 12 12 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 7 8 9 8 6 8 10 11 11 
			 Islington 10 13 12 14 12 10 9 15 14 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 9 10 8 8 6 7 7 7 6 
			 Lambeth 13 8 11 13 15 15 14 21 14 
			 Lewisham 14 14 13 13 14 14 12 9 12 
			 Southwark 14 11 12 12 12 13 12 15 15 
			 Tower Hamlets 14 30 16 15 14 13 13 14 15 
			 Wandsworth 11 12 11 11 11 12 12 13 12 
			 City of Westminster 10 7 7 7 9 9 9 8 9 
			 Barking and Dagenham 13 11 12 14 12 13 13 16 15 
			 Barnet 16 16 16 14 16 12 16 11 15 
			 Bexley 11 10 11 11 10 9 9 9 14 
			 Brent 12 10 9 10 11 12 11 13 14 
			 Bromley 12 12 12 11 12 10 10 10 10 
			 Croydon 10 15 14 13 10 14 12 14 15 
			 Ealing 13 14 24 15 14 16 12 13 14 
			 Enfield 15 13 18 21 19 21 17 23 23 
			 Haringey 15 13 15 14 12 10 10 12 13 
			 Harrow 11 5 9 10 11 10 9 12 13 
			 Havering 8 10 10 10 10 10 11 10 10 
			 Hillingdon 12 14 15 14 16 14 16 13 14 
			 Hounslow 10 11 10 11 11 10 8 9 11 
			 Kingston upon Thames 5 7 6 7 5 8 8 8 8 
			 Merton 7 7 7 7 10 10 7 8 8 
			 Newham 12 13 16 19 18 16 13 11 12 
			 Red bridge 8 8 10 10 7 10 10 10 11 
			 Richmond upon Thames 7 8 8 7 6 (128)— 6 7 7 
			 Sutton 6 5 7 9 11 9 8 7 8 
			 Waltham Forest 13 13 13 13 8 12 18 19 12 
			 Birmingham 39 40 46 23 46 46 53 50 55 
			 Coventry 13 13 14 15 16 16 16 14 11 
			 Dudley 11 11 12 8 12 11 10 6 12 
			 Sandwell 14 15 14 16 15 16 13 16 16 
			 Solihull 9 10 10 11 10 9 11 12 12 
			 Walsall 11 13 12 12 11 9 8 14 11 
			 Wolverhampton 12 13 10 13 15 18 17 16 18 
			 Knowsley 9 8 9 9 9 (128)— 6 7 5 
			 Liverpool 16 16 15 15 14 21 17 18 20 
			 St. Helens 6 8 7 6 8 8 9 9 8 
			 Sefton 10 11 11 10 14 14 16 13 12 
			 Wirral 14 13 14 13 12 11 11 11 15 
			 Bolton 8 8 8 9 9 10 10 10 10 
			 Bury 8 7 6 8 9 5 6 9 8 
			 Manchester 18 21 22 18 21 20 21 19 19 
			 Oldham 7 8 8 9 9 9 6 9 11 
			 Rochdale 8 9 9 8 9 8 7 6 6 
			 Salford 10 8 8 11 9 8 6 10 11 
			 Stockport 12 11 11 11 10 12 13 12 13 
			 Tameside 8 10 10 10 10 10 9 12 12 
			 Trafford 5 5 5 4 7 5 6 6 6 
			 Wigan 12 12 12 12 10 11 13 12 12 
			 Barnsley 4 7 7 7 8 6 6 4 9 
			 Doncaster 11 12 11 11 10 11 12 12 15 
			 Rotherham 12 11 8 7 9 10 12 10 9 
			 Sheffield 19 21 22 23 26 22 21 21 17 
			 Bradford 19 19 21 22 22 20 18 11 13 
			 Calderdale 8 7 7 8 9 5 8 8 5 
			 Kirklees 22 23 20 23 25 22 23 26 25 
			 Leeds 15 17 19 22 20 22 24 40 32 
			 Wakefield 10 10 11 9 9 11 13 10 11 
			 Gateshead 9 10 10 10 7 11 11 13 14 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 14 10 15 11 9 10 10 14 13 
			 North Tyneside 7 8 6 8 9 9 9 10 11 
			 South Tyneside 6 8 5 7 7 7 5 6 8 
			 Sunderland 12 12 14 16 11 19 15 10 11 
			 Isles of Scilly (128)— (128)— 1 (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 5 5 5 9 7 10 9 9 (128)— 
			 City of Bristol 17 14 16 19 20 24 14 14 16 
			 North Somerset 8 8 9 12 11 10 9 10 10 
			 South Gloucestershire 7 7 9 10 11 11 10 8 10 
			 Hartlepool 3 4 4 3 2 4 3 3 4 
			 Middlesbrough 5 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 8 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 5 5 
			 Stockton on Tees 9 5 7 6 8 9 10 8 10 
			 City of Kingston Upon Hull 8 8 10 10 11 12 12 12 12 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 8 8 8 7 9 9 7 8 9 
			 North East Lincolnshire 4 5 5 6 6 5 6 7 7 
			 North Lincolnshire 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 5 4 
			 North Yorkshire 13 14 16 15 15 17 16 17 16 
			 York 7 7 7 8 8 9 7 8 9 
			 Bedfordshire 16 6 10 10 12 12 12 14 16 
			 Luton n/a 5 5 6 7 6 6 6 5 
			 Buckinghamshire 25 18 20 20 19 24 24 22 23 
			 Milton Keynes n/a 10 7 10 12 10 11 11 12 
			 Derbyshire 32 22 21 23 21 28 30 28 31 
			 Derby n/a 9 9 11 11 12 11 11 11 
			 Dorset 25 14 13 13 13 15 16 16 19 
			 Poole n/a 6 6 5 5 6 6 6 7 
			 Bournemouth n/a 4 5 6 6 6 8 8 7 
			 Durham 23 16 21 21 23 23 25 29 27 
			 Darlington n/a 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 
			 East Sussex 18 12 14 13 17 18 20 19 17 
			 Brighton and Hove n/a 7 7 8 8 12 13 12 12 
			 Hampshire 61 49 48 50 43 45 46 52 52 
			 Portsmouth n/a 11 9 14 11 10 11 9 8 
			 Southampton n/a 10 12 13 13 12 12 13 13 
			 Leicestershire 26 21 23 25 21 28 26 20 19 
			 Leicester n/a 13 13 13 21 23 20 22 26 
			 Rutland n/a (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— 
			 Staffordshire 28 21 20 22 19 23 24 25 28 
			 Stoke on Trent n/a 6 8 6 6 8 12 9 (128)— 
			 Swindon n/a 6 5 7 7 6 7 7 8 
			 Wiltshire n/a 14 21 16 14 17 14 20 20 
			 Berkshire 21 20 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Bracknell Forest n/a n/a 3 3 3 2 4 4 5 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead n/a n/a 7 6 5 5 7 9 6 
			 West Berkshire n/a n/a 5 6 8 9 9 8 9 
			 Reading n/a n/a 4 5 5 6 8 5 5 
			 Slough n/a n/a 5 8 10 6 8 17 11 
			 Wokingham n/a n/a 5 5 5 6 8 8 7 
			 Cambridgeshire 20 20 19 18 17 17 17 18 18 
			 Peterborough n/a n/a 7 7 7 8 8 6 8 
			 Cheshire 30 28 19 24 18 21 18 24 25 
			 Halton n/a n/a 4 5 5 5 5 4 6 
			 Warrington n/a n/a 6 10 6 8 6 7 8 
			 Devon 35 33 21 19 22 27 26 27 30 
			 Plymouth n/a n/a 10 9 10 12 12 14 14 
			 Torbay n/a n/a 4 4 4 4 5 5 6 
			 Essex 63 61 46 48 52 58 57 51 47 
			 Southend on Sea n/a n/a 4 5 6 5 6 7 6 
			 Thurrock n/a n/a 5 8 6 6 5 7 6 
			 Hereford and Worcester 22 20 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Herefordshire n/a n/a 5 6 6 6 8 6 7 
			 Worcestershire n /a n/a 20 19 23 24 25 24 24 
			 Kent 56 50 38 44 42 44 46 42 41 
			 Medway n/a n/a 10 10 10 8 10 13 11 
			 Lancashire 55 52 41 43 42 38 40 43 43 
			 Blackburn with Darwen n/a n/a 8 9 8 6 7 8 11 
			 Blackpool n/a n/a 5 6 7 6 4 8 8 
			 Nottinghamshire 33 31 23 25 26 21 23 26 29 
			 Nottingham n/a n/a 9 9 15 15 16 13 14 
			 Shropshire(129) 13 13 (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— (128)— 
			 Telford and Wrekin(129) n/a n/a 14 15 17 14 12 15 14 
			 Cornwall 13 13 13 13 13 13 17 18 17 
			 Cumbria 17 17 17 20 24 18 17 19 11 
			 Gloucestershire 9 9 18 18 19 22 23 22 23 
			 Hertfordshire 35 35 36 35 32 34 31 30 38 
			 Isle of Wight 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 7 6 
			 Lincolnshire 19 15 17 17 19 24 21 20 22 
			 Norfolk 24 22 24 21 21 20 18 19 26 
			 Northamptonshire 23 29 28 28 26 29 25 28 30 
			 Northumberland 9 9 9 15 9 17 11 14 13 
			 Oxfordshire 18 20 19 21 22 26 29 26 27 
			 Somerset 16 17 21 24 24 21 22 25 25 
			 Suffolk 16 20 20 19 19 20 20 18 20 
			 Surrey 34 31 31 34 37 39 38 39 41 
			 Warwickshire 15 15 18 20 16 16 16 17 20 
			 West Sussex 22 23 22 24 26 26 28 32 35 
			 England 1,768 1,788 1,867 1,929 1,954 2,020 2,026 2,105 2,156 
		
	
	n/a=Not applicable
	(127)Includes those on secondment for in service and initial training for Educational Psychologists.
	(128)Zero or less than one
	(129)Shropshire Educational Psychology service is shared with Telford and Wrekin. Numbers are shown under Telford and Wrekin.
	Source:
	Annual survey of teacher numbers and teacher vacancies, Form 618g

Examination Results

Dan Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what were the (a) A-level and (b) GCSE results for each school in Wansdyke constituency in 1995 and each subsequent year for which data are available; and what the average results were in those years for all schools in (i) Wansdyke and (ii) England.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is in the following tables:
	
		The proportion of 15 year old pupils achieving 5 A*-C grades in GCSE and equivalent qualifications in schools in Wansdyke parliamentary constituency, 1995 to 2005 
		
			  1995 1996 19971 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Broadlands School 27 32 35 40 43 47 
			 Chew Valley School 69 60 64 58 62 64 
			 Hanham High School 44 49 55 40 37 39 
			 Norton Hill School 50 52 47 55 49 63 
			 Sir Bernard Lovell School 33 47 46 44 55 56 
			 Somervale School 44 43 39 44 45 49 
			 Wellsway School 59 66 77 73 71 75 
			 Writhlington School 31 22 34 28 34 45 
			  
			 (i) Wansdyke average 45.2 47.4 50.2 48.8 50.1 55.2 
			  
			 (ii) England average 43.5 44.5 45.1 46.3 47.9 49.2 
		
	
	
		
			  2001 2002 2003 20042 2005 Number of 15 year olds, 2005 
		
		
			 Broadlands School 44 51 63 59 49 204 
			 Chew Valley School 65 66 68 69 75 180 
			 Hanham High School 43 44 54 42 56 186 
			 Norton Hill School 60 75 70 72 72 231 
			 Sir Bernard Lovell School 55 54 63 54 65 232 
			 Somervale School 57 41 38 33 50 162 
			 Wellsway School 75 82 75 69 79 222 
			 Writhlington School 47 43 59 54 62 150 
			  
			 (i) Wansdyke average 56.0 57.7 61.2 56.9 63.4 1,567 
			  
			 (ii) England average 50.0 51.6 52.9 53.7 56.3 636,796 
		
	
	(130)Percentages from 1996/97 include GNVQ equivalents.
	(131)Percentages from 2003/04 include GCSE and Equivalents which have been approved for pre-16 use.
	
		The average point score per candidate entered for GCE/VCE A/AS and key skills at Level 3 examinations in school in Wansdyke parliamentary constituency, 1995 to 2005 
		
			  1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Chew Valley School 15.1 19.4 15.7 16.1 16.9 14.6 
			 Hanham High School 10.6 15.8 13.1 11.2 13.2 13.2 
			 Norton Hill School 14.0 13.1 15.3 15.8 13.5 14.2 
			 Norton Radstock College  3.4  8.7 6.2 8.0 
			 Sir Bernard Lovell School 10.1 11.3 14.1 11.2 15.0 15.9 
			 Somervale School 9.3 15.7 17.9 16.4 13.7 15.9 
			 Wellsway School 15.1 18.5 18.0 15.5 18.1 17.2 
			 Writhlington School 10.2 6.4 8.0 14.1 10.9 16.2 
			  
			 (i) Wansdyke average 12.8 14.9 15.4 14.6 15.1 15.3 
			  
			 (ii) England average 16.0 16.8 17.3 16.7 17.1 17.3 
		
	
	
		
			  20011 20021 20031 2004 2005 Number entered, 2005(133) 
		
		
			 Chew Valley School 16.0 249.4 224.4 278.0 269.3 84 
			 Hanham High School 12.4 208.0 197.4 249.2 190.9 34 
			 Norton Hill School 14.2 234.8 253.8 232.9 284.3 91 
			 Norton Radstock College 9.3 101.2 105.5 168.9 122.1 34 
			 Sir Bernard Lovell School 14.2 250.7 234.6 254.5 232.1 61 
			 Somervale School 15.1 214.0 227.3 239.0 246.9 55 
			 Wellsway School 17.6 253.6 253.6 280.9 255.2 114 
			 Writhlington School 15.3 188.8 261.0 314.8 284.7 38 
			  
			 (i) Wansdyke average 15.3 223.1 226.2 256.1 248.1 511 
			  
			 (ii) England average 17.4 254.5 258.6 269.2 277.6 264,166 
		
	
	(132)See notes for changes to the calculation of GCE/VCE point scores in 2001,2002 & 2003.
	(133)16–18 year old candidates entered for GCE/VCE A level qualifications
	GCE/VCE Point score calculations 1994/95–1999/2000: The average GCE A/AS point score per student entered for the equivalent of 2 or more A/AS examinations (figures from 1997/98 include Advanced GNVQs), with a point score based on the following tariff:
	
		Table 1
		
			 GCE A level GCE AS level Advanced GNVQ 
			 Grade Points Grade Points Grade Points 
		
		
			 A 10 A 10 Distinction 18 
			 B 8 B 8   
			 C 6 C 6 Merit 12 
			 D 4 D 4   
			 E 2 E 2 Pass 6 
		
	
	2000/01: The average point score per student entered for at least one A level or Advanced GNVQ, based on the points tariff shown in Table 1.
	2001/02: The average GCE/VCE A/AS point score per student. The point score for each grade are as follows (based on the UCAS points tariff).
	
		Table 2
		
			 GCE/VCE AS level GCE/VCE A level VCE Double Award Points 
		
		
			 — — AA 240 
			 — — AB 220 
			 — — BB 200 
			 — — BC 180 
			 — — CC 160 
			 — — CD 140 
			 — A DD 120 
			 — B DE 100 
			 — C EE 80 
			 A D — 60 
			 B — — 50 
			 C E — 40 
			 D — — 30 
			 E — — 20 
		
	
	2002/03–2004/05: The average GCE/VCE A/AS and key skills point score per candidate. Points are as in Table 2 but with a key skill at Level 3 pass equivalent to 20points.

Funding

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total further education budget for 19 plus education was in (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06; and how much was allocated in each year to 19 to 24-year-olds (i) up to Level 1, (ii) up to Level 2, (iii) up to Level 3 and (iv) up to Level 4.

Bill Rammell: The total overall spend on all adult programmes for 2004–05 was reported in the Learning and Skills Council's (LSC) Annual Report and Accounts as £2,999 million. The funding allocated for the LSC's major education and training programmes only for adults for 2005–06 is £2,851 million, an increase of £183 million or 7 per cent. on the comparable figure for 2004–05.
	Information about the level of qualifications is only readily available for FE colleges and providers from the Individualised Learner Record (ILR). For the most recently completed academic year, 2004/05, spend on young adult learners is as follows:
	
		Spend for 2004/05 £ million
		
			 Level Age 19 to 24 
		
		
			 Level 1 and below 193.0 
			 Level 2 124.6 
			 Level 3 172.3 
			 Level 4 or higher 6.0 
			 Unknown level 31.6 
			 Grand total 527.5 
		
	
	Source:
	ILR 2004/05 outturn
	Figures for 2005/06 are not yet available.

GEMS Education

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what meetings has (a) she and (b) her officials have had with GEMS Education; and what the purpose was of those meetings.

Jacqui Smith: In spring 2004 officials met with GEMS after they expressed interest in the Music Manifesto launch. Representatives of the Department met with GEMS on a number of occasions between February 2004 and June 2005 to discuss GEMS' potential involvement in the Academies programme. The first meeting took place on 10 February 2004, and related to the possibility of GEMS sponsoring an Academy in Barking and Dagenham. Two meetings occurred on 14and 22 April 2004 to discuss this further. Meetings then took place between May 2004 and June 2005 to discuss the possibility of GEMS sponsoring Academies in Milton Keynes. These meetings occurred on: 4 May 2004; 17 June 2004; 18 June 2004; 21 March 2005; 20 May 2005; and 9 June 2005.

Higher Education

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made towards the target of (a) fair access to higher education and (b) reducing rates of non-completion to higher education courses.

Bill Rammell: In the past few years, we have seen a steady widening of participation in, and improving access to, higher education. Performance indicators published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency show that the proportion of entrants from disadvantaged groups has increased across a range of measures, as set out in the following table.
	
		Proportion of young UK domiciled entrants to full-time first degree courses at UK universities from disadvantaged groups(134)
		
			  Proportion of entrants to university from: 
			  State schools Lower social classes (IIIM, IV, V) Lower socio-economic groups (4–7) Low participation areas 
		
		
			 1997/98 81.8 24.9 n/a 12.1 
			 1998/99 85.0 25.1 n/a 12.3 
			 1999/2000 84.9 25.3 n/a 12.4 
			 2000/01 85.7 25.4 n/a 12.5 
			 2001/02 86.0 25.8 n/a 13.1 
			 2002/03 87.2 n/a 28.4 13.3 
			 2003/04 86.8 n/a 28.6 13.9 
		
	
	n/a=not available: The socio-economic group classification was introduced in 2002/03 to replace the social class groupings. The two classifications are not directly comparable. Figures for NI are available separately if needed.
	(134)Source—Performance Indicators in Higher Education", published by HESA
	We have also made steady progress on reducing rates of non-completion. The latest available figures published by HESA are shown in the following table:
	
		Percentage of UK domiciled full-time first degree students expected neither to obtain an award nor transfer—higher education institutions in the UK
		
			  Students starting courses in: Non-completion rate (percentage) 
		
		
			 1996/97 16.0 
			 1997/98 15.9 
			 1998/99 15.8 
			 1999/2000 15.9 
			 2000/01 15.0 
			 2001/02 14.1 
			 2002/03 14.4 
		
	
	Source:
	Performance Indicators in Higher Education", published by HESA. For 2002/03, the projected outcomes summarise the pattern of movements of students at institutions between 2002/03 and 2003/04 and give the outcomes that would have been expected from starters in 2002/03 if progression patterns were to remain unchanged over the next few years. The HESA data show the proportion of entrants who are projected to: obtain a qualification (either a first degree or another undergraduate award); transfer to another HEI; neither obtain a qualification nor transfer (ie fail to complete the course).
	Figures published in 2005 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed that in 2003 the UK had one of the lowest higher education non-completion rates among OECD countries.

School Admissions Code

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether under the Education and Inspection Bill secondary schools will be able to seek reports from primary schools on (a) a child's (i)conduct, (ii) motivation and (iii) attendance and (b) on parents' attitude.

Jacqui Smith: Under the Education (Pupil Information) (England) Regulations 2005, when a pupil transfers to a new school, the old" school must send the pupil's educational record and common transfer file to the new school, within 15 school days. The regulations set out the minimum requirements for information which schools must include in the pupil's educational record and common transfer file. This, and any additional information held by the school, including information on pupil behaviour and attendance, must be transferred to the pupil's new school as part of the educational record. We have no plans to change or expand these requirements under the Education and Inspection Bill.
	Provision in the Bill will also strengthen the School Admissions Code by requiring admission authorities to 'act in accordance' with it. In future the Code will prevent secondary schools from making offers of places dependent on reports from the child's primary school.

Schools (Brighton and Hove)

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children were in classes of 31 or more in (a) infant schools and (b) infant classes in primary schools in Brighton and Hove in each year since 1996–97.

Jacqui Smith: The requested information is given in the table.
	
		Maintained primary schools (135): Number and percentage of key stage 1 classes with 31 or more pupilsPosition in January each year: 1997 to 2005 Brighton and Hove local authority area
		
			  Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher (136) 
			  Infant Schools All other primary schools Total primary schools 
			  Number of pupils:  Number of pupils:  Number of pupils: 
			  in classes of 31 or more pupils in all classes Percentage of pupils in classes of 31 or more pupils (137) in classes of 31 or more pupils in all classes Percentage of pupils in classes of 31 or more pupils (137) in classes of 31 or more pupils in all classes Percentage of pupils in classes of 31 or more pupils (137) 
		
		
			 1997 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1998 1,614 3,456 46.7 1,808 3,624 49.9 3,422 7,080 48.3 
			 1999 1,145 3,300 34.7 1,666 3,688 45.2 2,811 6,988 40.2 
			 2000 669 2,342 28.6 1,593 4,367 36.5 2,262 6,709 33.7 
			 2001 124 2,561 4.8 284 3,956 7.2 408 6,517 6.3 
			 2002 0 2,259 0.0 0 4,173 0.0 0 6,432 0.0 
			 2003 (138) 0 2,234 0.0 32 4,119 0.8 32 6,353 0.5 
			 2004 (138) 0 2,407 0.0 31 4,388 0.7 31 6,795 0.5 
			 2005 (138) 0 2,396 0.0 31 4,228 0.7 31 6,624 0.5 
		
	
	n/a=not applicable
	(135)Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(136)Classes as taught during a single selected period on the day of the census in January.
	(137)The number of pupils in classes of 31 or more expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils in classes.
	(138)Includes reception classes.
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census

Schools (Brighton and Hove)

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the budget was for the Brighton and Hove local education authority in each year since 1996–97.

Jacqui Smith: The available information is contained within the following table. Similar data are not available before 1999–2000.
	
		Total budgeted education revenue expenditure(139) by Brighton and Hove local authority since 1999–2000(140)
		
			  Budgeted education revenue expenditure(139) (£) 
		
		
			 1999–2000(140) 83,170,000 
			 2000–01 91,486,000 
			 2001–02 101,475,000 
			 2002–03 106,440,000 
			 2003–04 114,093,000 
			 2004–05 123,235,000 
			 2005–06 134,422,000 
		
	
	(139)Budgeted education revenue expenditure is drawn from local authorities' Section 52 Budget Statements submitted to the DfES. This is calculated as the gross elements of any grants lines plus the net elements of the remainder of the education revenue budget. Section 52 was introduced for the 1999–2000 financial year and consequently figures are not available prior to 1999–2000.
	(140)1999–2000 figures exclude any budgeted capital expenditure from revenue (CERA).
	Note:
	Cash figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 as reported by Brighton and Hove local authority as at 13 March 2006.

Special Educational Needs

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children were educated in special schools in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The requested information is given in the table.
	
		Special schools: Number (headcount) and percentage of pupils(141)—position in January each year: 1997 to 2005—England
		
			  Maintained special Non-maintained special 
			  Number(141) Percentage(142) Number(141) Percentage(142) 
		
		
			 1997 93,020 1.1 5,230 0.1 
			 1998 93,470 1.1 4,960 0.1 
			 1999 93,090 1.1 4,610 0.1 
			 2000 91,800 1.1 4,770 0.1 
			 2001 91,000 1.1 4,600 0.1 
			 2002 89,800 1.1 4,670 0.1 
			 2003 88,930 1.1 4,950 0.1 
			 2004 86,930 1.0 4,840 0.1 
			 2005 85,500 1.0 4,870 0.1 
		
	
	(141)Excludes dually registered pupils.
	(142)Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	Note:
	The number of pupils in special schools expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils across all schools.
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census
	Local authorities have a duty to secure sufficient schools for children in their area and in doing so must have particular regard to the need for special educational provision. The Government set expectations as to the quality of this provision, as does Ofsted. But how these expectations are met is a matter for local decision, and for this reason, Government play no role in relation to LA school reorganisations or in respect of decisions to close schools.

Parents

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what proportion of (a) male and (b) female lone parents are in (i) part-time and (ii) full-time employment;
	(2)  what proportion of (a) male and (b) female parents who are cohabiting with a partner, whether married or not, are in (i) part-time and (ii) full-time employment;
	(3)  how many (a) male and (b) female parents are who are cohabiting with a partner, whether married or not, of working age are in (i) part-time and (ii) full-time employment.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 15 March 2006
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about lone parents and parents in couples in employment. I am replying in her absence. (57843, 57844, 57845)
	Table 1 shows the levels and percentage of lone parents with dependent children in full-time and part-time employment by gender.
	Table 2 shows the levels and percentage of married or cohabiting parents with dependent children, by whether working full-time or part-time by gender.
	Table 3 shows the levels of parents in couples of working age with dependent children, in by full-time or part-time employment, by gender.
	All 3 tables are covering the latest available period, which is the three months ending November 2005.
	Estimates are taken from the Office for National Statistic's Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		Table 1: Lone parents(143) aged 16 and over by gender and whether working full or part-time(144) Thousand and percentage
		
			   Male Female 
			 Three months ending November 2005: Number of lone parents Levels Percentage(145) Levels Percentage(145) 
		
		
			 All lone parents 1,858 166 100.0 1,692 100.0 
			 All in employment(146) 1,026 111 66.7 915 54.1 
			 Full-time 540 94 56.8 445 26.3 
			 Part-time 486 16 9.9 469 27.7 
		
	
	(143)Refers to people who are not married or cohabiting and have dependent children, who are defined as 0 to 15-year-olds, or 16 to 18-year-olds in full-time education.
	(144)Based on respondents self-assessment.
	(145)As a percentage of all lone parents.
	(146)Includes those who did not state whether they worked full or part time.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey
	
		Table 2: Parents(147) aged 16 and over in couples by gender and whether working full or part-time(148) Thousand and percentage
		
			   Male Female 
			 Three months ending November 2005: Number of parents in couples Levels Percentage(149) Levels Percentage(149) 
		
		
			 All married/cohabiting parents 10,693 5,311 100.0 5,383 100.0 
			 All in employment(150) 8,651 4,815 90.7 3,836 71.3 
			 Full-time 6,220 4,614 86.9 1,606 29.8 
			 Part-time 2,429 200 3.8 2,229 41.4 
		
	
	(147)Refers to people who are married or cohabiting and have dependent children, who are defined as 0 to 15-year-olds, or 16 to 18-year-olds in full-time education.
	(148)Based on respondents self-assessment.
	(149)As a percentage of all parents in couples.
	(150)Includes those who did not state whether they worked full or part time.
	Note:
	Number of male and female partners are unequal because in some cases respondents supply information for only one of the partners.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey
	
		Table 3: Parents(151) of working age(152) in couples by gender and whether working full or part-time(153) Thousand and percentage
		
			   Male Female 
			 Three months ending November 2005: Number of parents in couples Levels Percentage(154) Levels Percentage(154) 
		
		
			 All married/cohabiting parents 10,647 5,279 100.0 5,369 100.0 
			 All in employment(155) 8,640 4,807 91.1 3,833 71.4 
			 Full-time 6,215 4,609 87.3 1,605 29.9 
			 Part-time 2,423 196 3.7 2,227 41.5 
		
	
	(151)Refers to people who are married or cohabiting and have dependent children, who are defined as 0 to 15-year-olds, or 16 to 18-year-olds in full-time education.
	(152)Men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16–59.
	(153)Based on respondents self-assessment.
	(154)As a percentage of all parents in couples of working age.
	(155)Includes those who did not state whether they worked full or part time.
	Note:
	Number of male and female partners are unequal because in some cases respondents supply information for only one of the partners.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

Building Regulations

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the effect on carbon emissions of (a) the extension of new standards for conservatories set out in Part L of building regulations, conservation of fuel and power, announced in September 2005 to all conservatories and (b) a requirement that the building of an extension should trigger consequential energy efficiency improvements to the existing building.

Yvette Cooper: Since 1985, ground floor extensions of buildings by the addition of a conservatory not exceeding 30m 2 have been exempt from Building Regulations. An Initial Regulatory Impact Assessment published by the ODPM in March 2002 assessed the options for potential removal or modification of this exemption but did not include any estimate of the carbon savings.
	The draft Regulatory Impact Assessment in the PartL consultation document published in July 2004 estimated carbon savings from work to existing buildings based upon 150,000 domestic extensions and 4 per cent. of the non-domestic stock being refurbished each year. It was not possible to consider the cost and benefits of 'consequential improvements'.

Fires

John McDonnell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) accidental dwelling fires started by cigarette lighters by (i) children under the age of nine years, (ii) youths aged 10 to 17 years, (iii) adults of 18 plus years and (iv) other of unspecified age and (b) related casualties there were in (A) 2004 and (B)2005.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table shows the data for financial years 2003–04 and 2004–05 in England. Data for calendar year 2005 are not available yet.
	
		Accidental dwelling fires started by cigarette lighters and related casualties by firestarter group, England, 2003–04 and 2004–05
		
			  2003–04 2004–05(156) 
			  Fires Fatal casualties Nonfatal casualties Fires Fatal casualties Nonfatal casualties 
		
		
			 Total 468 11 244 350 9 195 
			 Child (0–9 years) 339 5 203 225 6 136 
			 Youth (10–17 years) 45 0 13 28 0 10 
			 Adult (18 years and over) 59 5 23 90 3 45 
			 Other 13 0 0 6 0 3 
			 Unknown 11 1 5 2 0 1 
		
	
	(156)Data for 2005 are provisional
	Source:
	Fire and Rescue Service FDR1 returns to ODPM.

Homelessness

Jim Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many households were accepted as eligible for assistance for homelessness in Newcastle upon Tyne in each quarter from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2005; and how many households left temporary accommodation in Newcastle upon Tyne in each quarter of the same period.

Yvette Cooper: The following table presents information reported by Newcastle upon Tyne city council in each quarter since January 2000 on the number of households under homelessness legislation which were accepted as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and consequently owed a main homelessness duty. The table also shows the number of households reported as leaving temporary accommodation which had been arranged by the council, or no longer registered as homeless at home", during each quarter.
	The duty owed by the local authority is to secure suitable accommodation. If a settled home is not immediately available, the authority may secure temporary accommodation until a settled home becomes available. As an alternative to the provision of temporary accommodation some authorities arrange for households to remain in their current accommodation (homeless at home), until a settled solution becomes available.
	
		Newcastle upon Tyne city council
		
			  Households accepted(157) as homeless Households leaving(158) 
		
		
			 2000   
			 January-March 98 44 
			 April-June 103 29 
			 July-September 91 28 
			 October-December 88 68 
			
			 2001   
			 January-March 98 20 
			 April-June 157 30 
			 July-September 141 30 
			 October-December 132 n/a 
			
			 2002   
			 January-March 128 n/a 
			 April-June 183 n/a 
			 July-September n/a n/a 
			 October-December 196 n/a 
			
			 2003   
			 January-March 216 n/a 
			 April-June 179 n/a 
			 July-September 266 n/a 
			 October-December 265 n/a 
			
			 2004   
			 January-March 292 n/a 
			 April-June 265 31 
			 July-September 278 n/a 
			 October-December 205 n/a 
			
			 2005   
			 January-March 158 n/a 
			 April-June 143 n/a 
			 July-September 140 77 
			 October-December 161 137 
		
	
	n/a=Information not reported.
	(157)Households found to be eligible for assistance, unintentionally unintentionally homeless and in a priority need category and, under 1996 Housing Act provisions, consequently owed a main homelessness duty.
	(158)Leaving temporary accommodation secured by the local authority under section 193 of the Housing Act 1996, or no longer registered as homeless at home" during the quarter, and consequently no longer owed a main duty.
	Source:
	ODPM P1E Homelessness returns (quarterly)

Housing

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much the Government has made available for housing in Coventry South in the last three years.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 6 March 2006
	It has not been possible to disaggregate figures for Coventry South. Over the last three years the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has made available over £18,183,000 to Coventry as a whole. This split is as follows:
	
		
			  Amount (£) 
		
		
			 2003–04  
			 Housing Annual Capital Guidelines (ACG)—  (before the introduction of the Regional Housing Board) 5,096,000 
			 Disabled Facilities Grant (DFGs) 865,000 
			   
			 2004–05  
			 Regional Housing Board allocations 5,283,000 
			 Disabled Facilities Grant (DFGs) (159)848,000 
			   
			 2005–06  
			 Regional Housing Board allocations 5,131,000 
			 Disabled Facilities Grant (DFGs) 960,000 
		
	
	(159)Includes £260,000 Kickstart funding.

Housing Repair Bills

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what was the (a) total and (b) average repair bill for non-decent (i) private-rented, (ii) owner-occupied, (iii)housing association and (iv) council housing in the last year for which figures are available.

Yvette Cooper: Data on the average cost to make a property decent by tenure is published in Table 3.1 in the 2001 English House Condition survey main report available from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website at: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1155281
	This cost covers only the expenditure required to make existing homes decent now and does not take account of work required to ensure current non-decent dwellings remain decent until 2010, work needed to deal with additional dwellings likely to become non-decent between 2001 and 2010 and additional important environmental and security work and disabled adaptations which do not impact on the standard as such.

Newcastle/Gateshead Pathfinder

Jim Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library the agreed Strategic Commission for the Newcastle/Gateshead Pathfinder project; what the allocated programme of expenditure was for the Pathfinder in Newcastle/Gateshead in each Strategic Commission in each year since 2004–05; and what funding is proposed for (a) 2006–07 and (b) the next three years.

Yvette Cooper: The future programme and strategic commissions for the Newcastle Gateshead housing market renewal pathfinder have not yet been agreed. Iwill write to you when an announcement is made.
	The total housing market renewal funding for the pathfinder in 2004–05 and 2005–06 to date has been £47,641,250. It is not possible to break this down by strategic commission area as previous funding has not been allocated by the pathfinder on this basis. However, the breakdown by area development framework is shown in the following table, with the near equivalent strategic commission areas shown in brackets.
	
		
			£ 
			  2004–05 2005–06 Total 
		
		
			 Newcastle East (Byker and Ouseburn and Walker Riverside) 3,894,895 3,135,638 7,030,533 
			 Newcastle North (North Central) 526,718 294,823 821,541 
			 Newcastle West (Scotswood, Benwell and Elswick Discovery Quarter) 10,986,934 9,693,012 20,679,946 
			 Gateshead (Dunston, Teams, Bensham and Saltwell, Felling Bypass, and Deckham) 9,942,974 9,166,256 19,109,230

Ascension Island

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's position is on (a) granting residents of Ascension Island permanent right of abode, (b) granting residents property rights with full legal title, (c) granting licences for commercial ventures on the Island, with particular reference to commercial air charters, (d) licensing commercial flights between St.Helena and Ascension if the former builds an airport and (e) the future of the Island Assembly's taxation and administrative powers; and if he will take steps to codify those powers in an agreement between the Assembly and British Government.

Douglas Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my noble Friend, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, on 6 March 2006, Official Report, columns 527–29 in response to parts (a) , (b) and (d) of his question.
	Regarding the remaining questions, a small number of commercial ventures exist on Ascension Island in addition to the user organisations. There is, at present, no Ascension Island legislation for the licensing of these commercial ventures. The Attorney General of St. Helena and dependencies, in his capacity as Attorney General of Ascension Island, has confirmed that in the event of a commercial dispute, the English Law of Contract would apply. Nor is there local legislation relating specifically to commercial air charters. In the absence of such local legislation, Air Safety Support International would regulate this activity.
	The Ascension Island Council does not have taxation and administrative powers—it is an advisory body with executive authority vested in the Governor of St. Helena and dependencies. The Government does not believe there is a need to further codify these powers in an agreement between the Council and the Government.

St. Helena

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases of cancer there have been on St. Helena over the last 30 years.

Gareth Thomas: I have been asked to reply.
	St. Helena's Senior Medical Officer advises that health data are available only for the years 2000 to 2005. The total number of cases of cancer diagnosed on St.Helena from 2000 to 2005 is 84. This total is broken down by year, as follows:
	
		
			  Cases of cancer 
		
		
			 2000 10 
			 2001 18 
			 2002 12 
			 2003 11 
			 2004 9 
			 2005 24 
		
	
	Data for the years 1975 to 1999 is held only on individual non-electronic health records and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the UK Government are responding to the cholera outbreak in Yei, Southern Sudan; and what support is being provided to the Government of Southern Sudan to address potential disease outbreaks.

Hilary Benn: I have been asked to reply.
	DFID has been closely monitoring the cholera outbreak in Southern Sudan since it began in late January. The outbreak started in Yei town in southern Sudan and subsequently spread to Juba and a dozen other towns further east and north. To date (12 March 2006) 212 people have died from the disease from a case load of 6,744. The recent outbreak and its subsequent rapid spread to neighbouring towns underlines the threat of disease while the imminent onset of the rainy season will serve to increase the difficulties faced by vulnerable people.
	DFID has been active in supporting the co-ordination of response efforts in the south and in monitoring the situation. The Emergency Preparedness and Response Unit managed by the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) together with the World Food Organisation (WHO) have been at the forefront of coordinating the response to the outbreak. DFID has been working closely with OCHA providing technical advice, support and funding.
	Through the Emergency Response Fund (ERF) of UNOCHA, DFID has provided over $350,000 to eightUN agencies and non-governmental organisations assisting with the response to the cholera outbreak. An additional $750,000 of FID funds remain with the ERF for continued assistance to agencies if the disease spreads further.
	To date, the large number of returns of refugees and Internally Displaced People predicted by the UN and others have still not taken place. There is still potential or significant movement in the run up to the rainy season though this is considered unlikely.
	The outbreak of cholera has affected the returns programme. The return programme for up to 4000 people from Juba to Bor has been suspended because of fears of further disease transmission. With DFID support, various agencies are responding to the cholera outbreak at Lologo returnee way-station near Juba and at Bor way-station which currently holds approximately 1000 returnees. Other DFID supported initiatives include health education, containment centres, and water and sanitation initiatives.
	In addition to supporting such chronic and rapid onset emergencies, the UK is providing early and significant contributions to the UN 2006 Work Plan, from which the UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator has already allocated over $40 million to the South, including an allocation of US$500,000 to the Emergency Response Fund. The UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator additionally holds an emergency reserve of $10 million (to which DFID was a significant contributor) which could be accessed to scale up the response to the outbreak should the need arise.

Sudan

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contingency plans are in place if the proposed travel ban and freezingof assets of Sudanese Government, militia and rebel leaders are not adopted by the UN Security Council.

Ian Pearson: At present our efforts are fully focussed on pressing for swift action by the UN Sudan Sanctions Committee, to impose sanctions against those who violate human rights or impede the peace process in Sudan. We will consider how to proceed in the light of developments in New York.